Cheeseman. — Occurrence of Leathery Turtle in N.Z. 109 



of animals in localities widely separated from their usual home, 

 I propose to put on record the facts connected with its capture. 



Captain Subritzky informs me that on Sunday, the 22nd 

 May, when passing Cape Brett on a voyage from Awanui to 

 Auckland, he noticed a floating object, which he at first took 

 for a boat bottom upwards. The schooner's boat was lowered, 

 and he proceeded to inspect it; when, to his astonishment, it 

 suddenly disappeared, shortly afterwards reappearing a little 

 distance further away. Eeturning to his vessel, he secured a 

 harpoon and line, and then pulled cautiously up to the creature, 

 soon recognising it to be a large turtle-like animal entirely new 

 to him. After a little manoeuvring he succeeded in harpoon- 

 ing it in the neck. According to him, it made a most deter- 

 mined resistance, making for the boat open-mouthed, snapping 

 its jaws violently. It succeeded in getting its flappers over 

 the side of the boat, nearly capsizing it, but was stunned by a 

 blow on the head, towed alongside the schooner, and hoisted 

 on board. 



Good descriptions of the luth are given in many well- 

 known books on zoology, so that it is quite unnecessary for 

 me to give any lengthy account of it. I will only say that it 

 differs from all the other sea-turtles in the body not being 

 covered with hard plates, but with a thick leathery skin, which 

 is quite smooth when the animal is adult, with the exception 

 of seven conspicuous longitudinal ridges, but is covered with 

 tubercular scales when very young. As I have already said, 

 it is the largest of living turtles. Specimens over 9ft. in length, 

 and weighing nearly 1,8001b., have been captured. Captain 

 Subritzky's specimen is much smaller, its total length being a 

 little over 6ft., but, from the longitudinal ridges showing a 

 few tubercular projections, it is probably not yet adult. Its 

 measurements are as follow : — 



