96 TURTLE-CULTURE. [CHAP. in. 



to their own guidance, is advocated by M. Salles, who is 

 connected with the French navy, and who seems to have a 

 considerable knowledge of the nature and habits of the turtle. 

 To some extent turtle-culture is already carried on in the 

 island of Ascension so far at least as the protection of the 

 eggs and watching over the young is concerned. M. Salles 

 proposes, however, to do more than is yet done at Ascension ; 

 he thinks that, to arrive quickly at a useful result, it would 

 be best to obtain a certain number of these animals from places 

 where they are still abundant, and transport them to such 

 parks or receptacles as might be established on the coasts of 

 France and Corsica, where, at one time, turtles were plentiful. 

 Animals about to lay would be the best to secure for the 

 proposed experiments ; and these might be captured when 

 seeking the sandy shores for the purpose of depositing their 

 eggs. Male turtles might at the same time be taken about 

 the islets which they frequent. A vessel of sufficient dimen- 

 sions should be in readiness to bring away the precious freight ; 

 and the captured animals, on arriving at their destination, 

 should be deposited in a park chosen under the following 

 considerations : The formation of the sides to be an inclosure 

 by means of an artificial barrier of moderate height, formed of 

 stones, and perpendicular within, so as to prevent the escape 

 of the animals, but so constructed as to admit the sea, and, at 

 the same time, allow of a large sandy background for the 

 deposition of the eggs, which are about the size of those laid 

 by geese. As the turtles are herbivorous, the bottom of the 

 park should be covered with sea-weeds and marine plants of 

 all kinds, similar to those the animal is accustomed to at home. 

 A fine southern exposure ought to be chosen for the site of 

 the park, in order to obtain as much of the sunshine as possible, 

 heat being the one grand element in the hatching of the eggs. 

 Turtles are very fond of sunshine, and float lazily about in the 

 tropical water, seldom coming to the shore except to lay. 



