298 REPTILES OF BERMUDA. 
it earlier, but it does not fix an exact date for the arrival of the turtles 
on the shore. In regard to Sphargis, however, I find something more 
conflicting, and, it being so definite as to dates, locality, &c., am inclined 
to believe it entitled to consideration. The item is copied from the 
Morning Journal of April 30, 1846, by Gosse in ‘‘ The Naturalist’s So- 
journ in Jamaica,” 1859, p. 306, and bears the marks of its origin in 
evidence of desire to make the most of it, yet, as Mr. Gosse suggests, 
it has sufficient appearance of accuracy to warrant preservation. The 
locality of the occurrence is Negril Bay, at the west end of Jamaica: 
‘““ The anxiety of the fishermen in this little village was aroused on 
the 30th of last month by the track of a huge Sea-monster, called a 
Trunk-turtle, which came on the sea-beach for the purpose of laying 
her eggs. A search was made, when a hole in the sand was discovered, 
about 4 feet in depth, and as wide as the mouth of a half-barrel, whence 
five or six dozen white eggs were taken out. The eggs were of differ- 
ent sizes, the largest the size of a duck’s egg. On the morning of the 
10th of this month, at half-past five o’clock, she was discovered by Mr. 
Crow on the beach, near the spot where she first came up. He gave 
the alarm, when all the neighbors assembled and got her turned on her 
back. She took twelve men to haul her about 200 yards. I went and 
measured her, and found her dimensions as follows: From head to tail, 
6 feet 6 inches; from the outer part of her fore fin to the other end (to 
the tip of the other?), 9 feet 2 inches; the circumference round her back 
and chest, 7 feet 9 inches; circumference of her neck, 3 feet 3 inches ; 
the widest part of her fore fins, 18 inches; her hind fins, 2 feet 4 inches 
in length. Her back is formed like a round top of a trunk, with small 
white bumps in straight lines, resembling the nails on a trunk; her 
color is variegated like the rainbow (probably the living skin displayed 
opaline reflections); there is no shell on her back, but a thick skin, like 
pump leather.” 
The date given would place the time of laying in the latter part of 
March instead of as early as claimed by the fishermen and turtlers, 
December, January, and February, for this genus. Sphargis is the most 
rare and least known of the sea turtles. 
In early times turtles were so numerous around the Bermudas that 
two boats were able to take forty in a day; now they are so rare that 
this number more nearly represents what are taken in a season. To 
any one who takes the trouble to look into the matter the fact is patent 
enough that unless their enemies are restrained these animals are des- 
