Life — June 14, 1928 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Al-Cro'-Li-Co-Ga-Dile'-Tor" This is a humorous natural history feature about alligators and crocodiles, playing on their similar appearances. The article explains the differences between the two reptiles through illustrations and rhyming verse—notably that alligators have broader snouts and bigger bodies than crocodiles. The satire here appears directed at *journalistic enterprise itself*: one caption mockingly notes "the national lack of journalistic enterprise" regarding a crocodile sighting. The piece pokes fun at sensationalized nature reporting and the obsessive documentation of wildlife trivia. The numerous detailed illustrations of alligator and crocodile anatomy, behavior, and commercial uses (belts, bags, gaiters) underscore how thoroughly—almost absurdly—Life magazine treats this zoological comparison, turning a simple distinction into elaborate entertainment.