342 TORTOISES AND TURTLES 



them, instantly withdrew their head and legs, and fell flat down 

 with a loud hiss and heavy noise as if touched by lightning. 

 He then mounted upon thair back, and on giving them a smart 

 slap or two on the hind part of their carapace, they rose and 

 leisurely proceeded with their learned freight, the author of 

 " Origin of Species " finding it very difficult to maintain his 

 equilibrium on this strange beast of burthen. 



It is a remarkable fact, that though the land-tortoises are 

 scattered in many places over the warmer regions of the globe, 

 and even extend as far as Patagonia and the south of Europe, 

 yet not a single one has hitherto been found in Australia, where, 

 equally strange to say, no indigenous monkey exists. 



The marsh tortoises, or Enfiydce^ have their chief seat in tropi- 

 cal America and the Indian Archipelago, 

 where an abundance of swamps, lagoons, 

 lakes, pools, and gently-flowing rivers 

 favours the increase of their numbers. 

 They play an important part in the 



Marsh Tortoise, J r j (, ^ t t 



(Emyspicta.) domestic ecouomy of the Indians along 



the great streams of the New World, the deep rolling Orinoco or 

 the thousand-armed Amazons. 



During the dry season, all the neighbouring tribes are busy 

 collecting the countless eggs which the cold-blooded creatures 

 confide to the life-awakening powers of the heated sands : partly 

 for their own consumption, and partly for the manufacture of 

 oil. According to Herndon (" Exploration of the Valley of the 

 Amazons, 1850-1853") from five to six thousand jars of man- 

 tega, or tortoise-oil are annually gathered on the banks of 

 the Maranon. Each animal furnishes on an average eighty 

 eggs, and forty tortoises are reckoned for each jar, which 

 contains forty-five pounds, and is worth about six shillings on 

 the spot. The manufacturing process, which is carried on in a 

 most primitive manner, exhales an insupportable stench. The 

 eggs, namely, are thrown into a boat, and trodden to pieces with 

 the feet. The shells having been removed, the rest is left for 

 several days to putrify in the sun. The oil which collects on 

 the surface of the decomposing mass is then skimmed off, and 

 boiled in large kettles. The neighbouring strand swarms with 

 carrion vultures, and the smell of the offal attracts a number of 

 alligators, all hoping to come in for their share of the feast. 



