30 CHELONIA MYDAS. 



weeks. Dr. Strobel informed me that several Turtles were captured at Tortugas, 

 marked, and carried to Key West, there confined in a turtle-pen or "crawl," 

 which was destroyed by a storm; the animals escaped, and in a few days were 

 recaptured at the Tortugas. During the actual time of incubation Turtles may 

 be approached without caution, for they are then so intent on this work of repro- 

 duction, that nothing will disturb them. 



It is during the breeding season that these animals suffer most from their 

 enemies; they are then taken in a variety of waj^s and are brought to our markets 

 in immense numbers, being held in high estimation as a wholesome and delicious 

 food. Many are caught at night on shore; these are turned on their backs, nor 

 can they resume their natural position, in consequence of the shortness of their 

 necks, and peculiar arrangement of their fins, and thus they remain until they can 

 be leisurely collected the next day. Some are harpooned in the water; and great 

 nets are spread for others at the entrance of creeks and rivers. Many are 

 also taken by an instrument called <i peg, which has been in common use since the 

 time of Catesby, who thus describes the process. "The way in which Turtles are 

 most commonly taken, is by striking them with a small iron peg of two inches 

 long, put in a socket at the end of a staft^ twelve feet long; two men usually set 

 out for this work in a light boat or canoe, one to row and gently steer the boat, 

 while the other stands at the head of it with his striker. The Turtles are some- 

 times discovered by these men with their head and back out of the water, but they 

 are more often found lying at the bottom, a fathom or more deep. If a Turtle 

 perceives he is discovered, he starts up to make his escape, the men in the boat 

 pursuing him, endeavour to keep sight of him, which they often lose, and recover 

 again by the Turtle putting his nose out of the water to breathe. It is sometimes 

 half an hour before he is tired, when he sinks at once to the bottom, and this 

 gives them an opportunity of striking him, which is done by piercing him with an 

 iron peg, which slips out of the socket, but is fastened by a string to the pole. If 

 spent and tired, he tamely submits Avhen struck to be taken into the boat and 

 hauled ashore." 



