CAPTURE MANY TURTLE. 51 



We remained at this anchorag-e for the two fol- 

 lowing- days, during- which time the weather was 

 generally g-loomy and unsettled, with occasional 

 heavy rain. As numerous recent tracks of turtle 

 upon the sand}- beach indicated that the season had 

 not yet ended, parties were sent on shore to Avatch 

 for them after dark, and althoug'li only one was taken 

 on the first nig-ht, yet on the following* not less than 

 eig-hteen were secured and broug-ht off: fifteen of 

 them were of the g-reen, and three of the hawksbill 

 kind. The last, I believe, is undescribed : it is 

 certainly not the one (Caret fa imhricata) producing* 

 the greater part of the tortoise-shell of commerce, 

 and which is not rare in Torres Strait, disting*uished 

 by having' the posterior ang*le of each dorsal plate 

 projecting*, so as to g*ive a serrated appearance to 

 the marg'in of the carapace which, in the present 

 species is quite smooth. The g-reen turtle averaged 

 350 lbs. each, and the hawksbills about 250 lbs. 

 Although a strong prejudice existed against the 

 hawksbill as an article of food, we all found reason 

 to change our minds, and pronounce it to be at least 

 equal to the other. The newly hatched turtle (all 

 hawksbills) were running about in every direction, and 

 among* their numerous enemies, I was surprised to 

 see a burrowing crab (Ocypoda cursor) which runs 

 with g'reat swiftness along* the sandy beaches. 

 These crabs even carried off a plover which I had 

 shot, not allowing* more than ten minutes to elapse 



E 2 



