386 CHELONIA 



CHAP. 



nivorous, living upon fish and molluscs, the shells of which they 

 crunch. Although not eaten, they are much persecuted on account 

 of their shells, the horny shields of which are the " tortoise-shell " 

 of commerce. A large specimen yields up to 8 Ibs. Few of -the 

 shields are, however, thick enough to be manufactured into the 

 larger articles which art and fashion delight in, but if heated in 

 oil, or boiled, they can be welded together under pressure, and be 

 given any desired shape. In genuine articles of Oriental manu- 

 facture these welds can generally be detected, or their compound 

 nature is indicated by the beautiful pattern, which is too regular 

 in the imitations now common. Even the shavings and 

 leavings can be welded and moulded into large pieces. The 

 stripping of the shields has been described by Sir E. Tennent. 

 " If taken from the animal after death and decomposition, the 

 colour of the shell becomes clouded and milky, and hence the 

 cruel expedient is resorted to of seizing the turtles as they repair 

 to the shore to deposit their eggs, and suspending them over fires 

 till heat makes the plates on the dorsal shields start from the bone 

 of the carapace, after which the creature is permitted to escape to 

 the water. At Celebes, where the finest tortoise-shell is exported to 

 China, the natives kill the turtles by blows on the head, and 

 immerse the shell in boiling water to detach the shields. Dry 

 heat is only resorted to by the unskilful, who frequently destroy 

 the tortoise-shell in the operation." The cruel process described 

 above is resorted to " for economy's sake," the Singhalese believing 

 that such maltreated turtles regenerate the shields, to be caught 

 and shipped again. Since none of them are actually re-caught 

 in the mutilated condition, this is looked upon as a proof of the 

 correctness of the treatment. It is more likely that they die. 



New shields can be reproduced only if the underlying Mal- 

 pighian layer of cells (cf. Fig. 68, B, p. 323) is not killed by the 

 roasting. vHowever, Dr. Charles Hose, with his long experience 

 in Borneo, is positive that numerous individuals are there caught 

 which have imperfectly mended shells, the shields of which do not 

 imbricate, are thin, and almost worthless. 



It is commonly believed that the same individuals return 

 again and again to the same spot for laying. This is very 

 likely the case. Tennent mentions that in the year 1826 a 

 Hawksbill was taken near Hambangtotte, which bore a ring 

 attached to one of its fins, that had been placed there by a Dutch 



