120 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS.—CLASS III. REPTILIA. 
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the arrival of the turtles, and there we lay flat upon the sand, in the deepest 
silence, as the least noise frightens the turtles, and causes them to withdraw, 
and at last we saw three of them rising out of the water, and slowly creep- 
ing on shore, like black masses. We rapidly ran up to the first, but 
our impatience caused it to drop immediately again into the sea, where it 
escaped our pursuit. The second, which had already advanced too far, was 
unable to retreat: we turned it on its back. In this way we caught about 
fifty turtles, some of which weighed five hundred pounds. Next morning, 
at ten, the boat came to fetch the produce of our nocturnal sport. This work 
occupied us the whole day, and in the evening the superfluous turtles were 
restored to the sea. If suffered to remain a long time on their backs, their 
eyes become blood-red, and start out of their sockets. We found several 
a cruel neg- 
on the strand, that had been allowed to perish in this position 
ligence, of which sailors are but too often guilty.” 
But other foes, besides man, make war upon the poor turtles, and perse- 
cute them to death. Large numbers of these animals annually frequent the 
wild sand-coast of Bantam (Java). They are often obliged to creep over 
nearly a quarter of a mile of the beach before finding at the foot of the 
sand-dunes dry and loose soil fit for their purpose; and on this journey, 
which for them is a very long one, they have many dangers to encounter. 
Hundreds of their skeletons lie scattered about the strand, many of them 
five feet long, and three feet broad; some bleached and cleaned by time, 
others still half filled with putrid intestines, and others, again, quite fresh 
and bleeding. High in the air a number of birds of prey wheel about, 
scared by the trayeller’s approach. Here is the place where the turtles are 
attacked by the wild dogs. In packs of from twenty to fifty, the growling 
rabble assails the poor sea-animal at every accessible point, gnaws and tugs 
at the feet and at the head and succeeds, by united efforts, in turning the 
huge creature upon its back. Then the abdominal scales are torn off, and 
the ravenous dogs hold a bloody meal on the flesh, intestines, and eggs of 
their defenceless prey. Sometimes, however, the turtle escapes their rage, 
and, dragging its lacerating tormentors along with it, succeeds in regaining 
the friendly sea. Nor do the dogs always enjoy an undisturbed repast. Of- 
ten, during the night, the hungry tiger bursts out of the forest, pauses for a 
moment, casts a glance over the strand, approaches slowly, and then, with 
one bound, accompanied by a terrific roar, springs among the dogs, scatter- 
ing the howling band like chaff before the wind. And now it is the tiger’s 
turn to feast ; but even he, though rarely, is sometimes disturbed by man. 
Thus, on this lonely, melancholy coast, wild dogs and tigers wage an unequal 
war with the inhabitants of the ocean. 
C. Caretta. —The Hawk-billed Turtle. A color more or less rufous or 
