Williams. — Florida's Fish and her Fisheries 165 



(1) Where fish eggs can be stripped easily, are non-adhesive, 

 are heavier than water, and when fertilized readily "set up," 

 becoming many times larger than when stripped, is it probable 

 that such eggs can be hatched by artificial methods? 



(2) Could they probably be hatched by the method which 

 Nesley claims to have proved? 



Before passing, I must say a few words concerning investiga- 

 tions made by me regarding turtle. In Florida we have four 

 varieties of sea turtle. In commercial importance, the green 

 turtle (which is vegetarian) ranks first. Next in commercial 

 value is the bastard turtle, which appears, in flavor, habits and 

 form, to be a cross between the green and loggerhead turtles, 

 although in my opinion it is a distinct species. However, I have 

 no knowledge as to this. Then we have loggerhead turtles, which 

 are flesh eaters. Their flesh is coarse and strong and is eaten by 

 the natives, but has only a local commercial value. We also have 

 tortoise-shell turtle, but they are rare. 



Heretofore it has been held that the green turtle laid only 

 in the West Indies. But from investigations I have made, I find 

 they deposit their eggs also on the coast of Florida. 



A turtle lays from 60 to 110 eggs at a laying. They commence 

 laying in April or May and continue to lay until August or Sep- 

 tember. Upon the opening a turtle ready to deposit its eggs I 

 found eggs shelled ready for laying; other eggs about grown, but 

 unshelled; and still others in the earlier stages. 



Turtles lay on moonlight nights and also on dark nights. It is 

 my opinion that they lay once every two weeks during the season. 

 Once ready to deposit her eggs, the mother turtle cautiously 

 approaches the beach and, protruding her head above water, looks 

 and listens. If any unusual sight is seen, or unusual sound is 

 heard, she draws back her head and goes back to sea to approach 

 the beach at some other point. After being satisfied that there is 

 no danger, she crawls upon the beach at some point above high 

 tide and first usually stirs up the ground in several different places. 

 Then with her hind flippers she digs a hole about eighteen inches 

 deep — remarkably deep considering the length of her flippers. In 

 this hole she deposits her eggs, all in a pile. Then she covers them 

 up and again, for five feet all around, turns up the sand so as to 

 conceal from man or beast the exact location of the nest. Having 



