HATCHING THE EGGS. 135 



far from covering the whole island ; they were not found 

 wherever the ground rose abruptly, because the turtle 

 could not mount heights. The Indians assured them 

 that, in going up the Orinoco from its mouth to its 

 junction with the Apure, not one island or one beach 

 was to be found, where eggs could be collected in 

 abundance. The great turtle dreads places inhabited 

 by men, or much frequented by boats. It is a timid 

 and mistrustful animal, raising only its head above 

 the water, and hiding itself at the least noise. 



The period at which it lays its eggs coincides with the 

 period of the lowest waters. The Orinoco beginning to 

 increase from the vernal equinox, the lowest flats are 

 found uncovered from the end of January till the 20th 

 or 25th of March. The turtles collect in troops in the 

 month of January, then issue from the water, and warm 

 themselves in the sun, reposing on the sands. The In- 

 dians believed that great heat was indispensable to the 

 health of the animal, and that its exposure to the sun 

 favoured the laying of the eggs. They are found on the 

 beach a great part of the day during the whole month of 

 February. At the beginning of March the straggling 

 troops assemble, and swim towards the small number of 

 islands on which they habitually deposit their eggs. At 

 this period, a few days before they lay their eggs, thou- 

 sands of these animals may be seen ranged in long files, 

 on the borders of the islands of Cucuruparu, Uruana, 

 and Pararuma, stretching out their necks and holding 

 their heads above water, to see whether they have any- 

 thing to dread. The Indians, who are anxious that the 

 bands when assembled should not separate, that the tur- 

 tles should not disperse, and that the laying of the eggs 



