G28 TURTLE-CATCHING AND COLLECTING EGGS. 



Here, too, the wonderful little acara are found, with their 

 young in their heads ; and there are also rounded shallow de- 

 pressions in the mud, which the fishermen say are the sleeping- 

 places of the skates. They are certainly about the size and 

 form of a skate, and it can easily be believed that these singular 

 impressions in the soft surface have been made in this way. 

 The creatures, however, only frequent certain praias out of 

 the number existing. When the waters overflow the land, 

 the young turtles move into the interior, where they remain 

 during their infant days in the numberless lakes and pools in 

 the forest. As the dry season approaches, the full-grown 

 turtles descend from the interior pools while the outlets are 

 still open (between July and August), and seek in countless 

 swarms their favourite banks. Sentinels are then posted on 

 high look-out places, situated at the ends of the banks, where 

 they may watch the proceedings of the creatures, and mark 

 the spots they have chosen. They also warn off any fisher- 

 men who may approach, as the sight of a man or a fire on 

 the sand-bank Avould prevent the turtles from leaving the 

 water that night to lay their eggs ; and, if frequently alarmed, 

 they would forsake the praia for some other place. 



The turtles lay their eggs by night — crawling in vast crowds 

 to the central and highest part of the praia — and are occupied 

 till dawn in the operation. They excavate with their broad- 

 webbed paws deep holes in the fine sand. The first which 

 arrives makes a pit about three feet deep, and lays its eggs — 

 about one hundred in number — coverino- them with sand. 

 The next makes its deposit at the top of the former ; and so 

 on till every pit is full. They are so careful in covering up 

 the eggs, that, when they quit the spot, the only marks dis- 

 tinguishable are those which they make when returning to 



