58. DERMOCHELYS 



Most of them stayed with him all through the struggle and 

 only deserted him when I hoisted him to the deck of the 

 dock. I captured two of them and kept them in a bucket 

 for several days. One was about ten inches long. The tur- 

 tle lived for four days after taking out of the water — being 

 very lively when first landed and gradually subsiding. I 

 don't think this species ever come out of the water on their 

 own responsibility. 



"So far as I can learn there has been but one other of 

 this kind ever taken on this coast. It was less than half 

 the size of this and was entangled in a fisherman's net and 

 was wounded in capturing, so that it died soon after. The 

 meat was sold to the hotels here and was very fine eating. 

 "Respectfully, 



"G. W. Gourley." 



Inquiry regarding the second specimen referred to in 

 Mr. Gourley's letter finally resulted, through the kindness 

 of Dr. Frank M. Anderson, in my securing from Mr. E. B. 

 Hoyt of San Luis Obispo, a photograph of this turtle, taken 

 soon after its death. Mr. Hoyt tells me that this photo- 

 graph was taken by himself at Santa Barbara in July or 

 August, 1901. It shows the animal covering more than 

 half the length of the floor of a dray on which it was lying. 



Regarding the one caught near Los Coronados Islands, 

 the "San Francisco Chronicle" stated : 



"It was found tangled in the kelp, and it required the 

 assistance of nine men to get it on to the deck of the launch. 

 It lived only three days after it was brought to land, deep- 

 sea species being unable to live long out of water. In length it 

 was seven feet eight inches and nine feet across the fore 

 flippers from tip to tip. It weighed 1575 pounds." 



