84 GREEN TURTLE. 



pursued, he tamely submits, when struck, to be 

 taken into the boat or hauled ashore. There are 

 men who by diving will get on their backs, and 

 by pressing down their hind-parts, and raising the 

 fore-part of them by force, bring them to the top 

 of the water, while another slips a noose about 

 their necks." 



Though the Green Turtle is a native of the 

 West-Indian seas, yet it is sometimes driven by 

 storms out of its usual residence, and instances 

 have occurred in which it has been taken on the 

 coasts of Europe. An occurrence of this kind is 

 said by the Count de Cepede to have happened in 

 France, a Turtle having been taken at Dieppe in the 

 year 1752, which weighed between eight and nine 

 hundred pounds, and was almost six feet in length, 

 and four wide. It may, however, be doubted 

 whether this animal was not rather a Caretta or 

 Loggerhead, than a Green Turtle. Another, of 

 still larger size, is also said to have been taken on 

 the coast of France, about two years afterwards. 



" The Sea Tortoises, or Turtles, in general,'' 

 says Catesby, " never go on shore but to lay their 

 eggs, which they do in April : they then crawl up 

 from the sea above the flowing of high water, and 

 dig a hole above two feet deep in the sand, into 

 which they drop in one night above an hundred, 

 eggs, at which time they are so intent on Nature's 

 work, that they regard none that approach them ; 

 but will drop their eggs into a hat, if held under 

 them ; but if they are disturbed before they begin 

 to lay, they will forsake the place, and seek an- 



