212 gPORT IN NORTH A^IERICA. 



dexterously throwing aside the sand under her to 

 the right and left, and when the hole was deep 

 enough she deposited her eggs in it, arranging them 

 ATith the greatest care, and covering them with sand. 

 Just as she was turning about to regain the sea, 

 Downing bounded on her, like a tiger on his prey, 

 striking her a severe blow on the shell close to the 

 head, which paralysed her with terror for a moment, 

 when he turned her over on her back, in which 

 position she lay, helplessly flapping her fins and 

 totally unable to stir. 



We had barely regained our hiding-place, when 

 Downing called my attention to an enormous turtle, 

 which was making its way towards the shore. At 

 about thirty yards' distance from the sand, she raised 

 her head above the water and looked around her 

 with an unquiet air, passing in careful review every- 

 thing that was in sight. This done, she gave a shrill 

 whistle, which Downing told me was a kind of chal- 

 lenge or warning to any enemies that might be 

 lying in wait, and was intended to frighten them 

 away. As nothing stirred, she swam slowly towards 

 the shore, and came up the sand with her neck 

 stretched to the utmost. At last, she found a con- 

 venient place, and proceeded to act exactly as her 

 predecessor had done. In live minutes, she had hol- 

 lowed out, to a depth of about eighteen inches, a 

 hole in which she deposited her eggs, one after 

 another, to the number of a hundred and seventv- 



