K. SEA TORTLES 



Sea turtles, 'ooth the Hairtcsbill ( Chelonia Imbricata ) and the Green turtle ( Chelonia 

 mydas or .japonica ) are lound throughout the area, but more abundantly in the Carolines, 

 less so in the Uarshalls and Uarieinas. Jeciales come ashore on sandy beaches during late 

 spring and early suraner to deposit their eggs, nuiJbering up to 150. A hole is dug in the 

 sand above high irater mark, the eggs laid in it buried, and left to be incubated by the 

 sun. The young hatch out at the end of 60 days and imniediately take to the water. 



The Hawksbill, being camivoj-ous, is not highly regarded as food. The 13 large 

 plates or scutes on the back constitute the "tortoise shell" of ooiranerce. liarket value 

 01 the plates depends largely on their coloration, the plain dark plates having less value 

 than ones vdth a greater proportion of light area. 



According to Japanese reports, about 200 turtles were taken annually, mostly from 

 Palaus, Truk, and Ponape . Ihis small production reflects the rigid Japanese measures pro- 

 tecting the Hawksbill. No turtles or their eggs could be taken on shore, at T/hich time 

 they are very easy to capture, and no individual could be taken measuring less than 60 

 centimeters (24. inches) in length. The catch was made offshore, either by spearing or 

 with special large mesh nets made of sennit. 



"Die Green turtle does not have the overlapping plates like the Hawksbill, and has no 

 ccannercial vailue. It is herbivorous, and excellent eating. The most common native method 

 of cooking is to bake the animal in its shell. 



The Japanese identified the Green tiirtles as Chelonia .japonica (ihuriberg). It is quite 

 probably identical with the Philippine species, Chelonia niydas (Linn). 



X. POISON FISH 



Of the approximately 2000 species of fish and other marine animals in Central Pacific 

 waters, at least 125 are said to be poisonous when eaten. Others, such as cone shells and 

 sea snakes, have a venomous bite, and a third group including corals, sea-urchins and moray 

 eels, cause wounds which frequently become infected and are difficult to heal. 



Reasonable precautions can be taken to avoid injury from organisms of the last two 

 groups. Cone shells and sea snakes should not be handled. V.earing shoes ( tabis ) and 

 gloves when wading or diving, and care in avoiding abrasive contact with corals or stepping 

 on sea-urchins will minimize the danger of wounds from them, lloray eels are found in holes 

 in reefs, so it is inadvisable to reach into such places with bare hands. 



But the problem of poisoning from eating fish is a more baffling one. Only the puffers 

 (family Tetrodontidae), and their spiny i-elatives, the porcupine fish (family Diodontidae) 

 seem to be universally reg2irded as dangerous. Other species are poisonous in one locality 

 but harmless elsewhere. Even the virulence of the poison varies from place to place, and 

 vdth season of the year. As far as could be determined, there are no poisonous species in 

 the Palaus. Elsewhere, it is good judgment to fo3J.ow the recommendations of the native 

 people, who from long experience have ccane to know the harmful local varieties. The only 

 other generailization is that surface feeding fish, taken by trolling offshore, are not known 

 to be harmful. Bie poison evidently originates in the food of reef and lagoon fish. 



The death of over a score of persons annually, stimulated research by Japanese investi- 

 gators at the Imperial Naval Hospital, Saipan (Reference 8). It has not been possible to 

 obtain a translation of the reference publication, but according to a translator their con- 

 clusions were that the substance responsible was an alkaloid in the blood, and that some 

 measure of protection oould oe obtained by thorough bleeding, skinning, and washing the 

 flesh of the fish before cooking. 



It is believed that additional research is necessary. Certainly the publication cited 

 should be given a careful translation, and the conclusions checked by a competent pharmacolo- 

 gist. 



There follows a list of the poisonous species of fish from the Japanese report. 



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