THE GREEN TURTLE. 31 



I... , 



Peculiar manners when laying eggs. 



bottom, which affords an opportunity to strike 

 him with the spear through thfc shell. The head 

 of the spear, which now slips off and is left in 

 his body, is fastened with a string to the pole; 

 and, by means of this apparatus, they are enabled 

 to pursue him, if he should not be sufficiently 

 spent without; if, however, that is the case, he 

 tamely submits to be taken into the boat, or 

 hauled ashore. There are men who, by diving 

 to the bottom, will get on the backs of the ani- 

 mals; and then, by pressing them down behind, 

 and raising their fore part, bring them by force 

 to the surface of the water, where some person 

 is in waiting to slip a noose round their neck. 

 It has been asserted by Sir Hans Sloane, that 

 the inhabitants of Port Royal in Jamaica, had 

 formerly no fewer than forty vessels employed 

 in catching these animals ; their markets being 

 supplied with turtle as ours are with butchers' 

 meat. 



The green turtles, (we are informed by Gates- 

 by,) very seldom go ashore, except for the pur- 

 pose of depositing their eggs in the sand ; this is 

 done in April. They dig a hole, at high-water 

 mark, about two feet deep, and drop into it 

 above a hundred eggs; and at this time they are 

 so intent on the operation, that they do not notice 

 any one that approaches them, and they will 

 even drop the eggs into a hat if held under 

 them ; if, however, they are disturbed before the 

 commencement of their business, they always 



