THE TURTLERS. 371 



of vapour assume the semblance of mountains of molten gold. But the 

 sun has now disappeared, and from the east slowly advances the grey cur- 

 tain which night draws over the world. 



The Night-hawk is flapping its noiseless wings in the gentle sea-breeze; 

 the Terns, safely landed, have settled on their nests ; the Frigate Pelicans 

 are seen wending their way to distant mangroves ; and the Brown Gan- 

 net, in search of a resting-place, has perched on the yard of the vessel. 

 Slowly advancing landward, their heads alone above the water, are ob- 

 served the heavily-laden Turtles, anxious to deposit their eggs in the 

 well-known sands. On the surface of the gently rippling stream, I dimly 

 see their broad forms, as they toil along, while at intervals may be heard 

 their hurried breathings, indicative of suspicion and fear. The moon 

 with her silvery light now illumines the scene, and the Turtle having 

 landed, slowly and laboriously drags her heavy body over the sand, 

 her " flappers'" being better adapted for motion in the water than on shore. 

 Up the slope, however, she works her way, and see how industriously she 

 removes the sand beneath her, casting it out on either side. Layer after 

 layer she deposits her eggs, arranging them in the most careful manner, 

 and, with her hind-paddles, brings the sand over them. The business is 

 accomplished, the spot is covered over, and, with a joyful heart, the Turtle 

 swiftly retires toward the shore, and launches into the deep. 



But the Tortugas are not the only breeding places of the Turtles ; 

 these animals, on the contrary, frequent many other keys, as well as va- 

 rious parts of the coast of the mainland. There are four different species, 

 which are known by the names of the Green Turtle, the Hawk-billed Turtle, 

 the Logger-head Turtle, and the Trunk Turtle. The first is considered the 

 best as an article of food, in which capacity it is well known to most epi- 

 cures. It approaches the shores, and enters the bays, inlets and rivers, 

 early in the month of April, after having spent the winter in the deep 

 waters. It deposits its eggs in convenient places, at two different times 

 in May, and once again in June. The first deposit is the largest, and 

 the last the least, the total quantity being at an average about two hun- 

 dred and forty. The Hawk-billed Turtle, whose shell is so valuable as 

 an article of commerce, being used for various purposes in the arts, is the 

 next with respect to the quality of its flesh. It resorts to the outer keys 

 only, where it deposits its eggs in two sets, first in July, and again in 

 August, although it " crawls'" the beaches of these keys much earlier in 

 the season, as if to look for a safe place. The average number of its eggs 



Aa2 



