220 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



done to it. This accomplished to her mind, she retreats to the 

 water with all possible despatch, leaving the hatching of the 

 eggs to the heat of the sand. When a turtle, a logger-head for 

 example, is in the act of dropping her egg, she will not move, 

 although one should go up to her, or even seat himself on her 

 back, for it seems that at this moment she finds it necessary to 

 proceed at all events, and is unable to intermit her labour. 

 The moment it is finished, however, off she starts, nor would it 

 then be possible for one, unless he were as strong as Hercules, to 

 turn her over and secure her. To upset a turtle on the shore 

 one is obliged to fall on his knees, and placing his shoulder 

 behind her fore-arm, gradually raise her up by pushing with 

 great force, and then with a jerk throw her over. Sometimes it 

 requires the united strength of several men to accomplish this, 

 and if the turtle should be of very great size, as often happens 

 on that coast, even hanrlspikes are employed. Some turtlers 

 are so daring as to swim up to them while lying asleep on the 

 surface of the water, and turn them over in their own element, 

 when, however, a boat must be at hand to enable them to secure 

 their prize'. Few turtles can bite beyond the reach of their 

 fore-legs, and few when they are once turned over, can, without 

 assistance, regain their natural position. But notwithstanding 

 this, their flappers are generally secured by ropes, so as to 

 render their escape impossible. Persons who search for turtle 

 eggs are provided with a light stiff cane or gun-rod, with which 

 they go along the shores, probing the sand near the tracks of 

 the animal, which, however, cannot always be seen on account 

 of the winds and heavy rains that often obliterate them. The 

 nests are discovered not only by men but also by beasts of prey, 

 and the eggs are collected or destroyed on the spot in great 

 numbers. 



" On certain parts of the shore hundreds of turtles are known 

 to deposit their eggs within the space of a mile. They form a 

 new hole each time they lay, and the second is generally dug 

 near the first, as if the animal were quite unconscious of what 

 had befallen it. It will readily be understood that the numerous 

 eggs seen in a turtle on cutting it up could not be all laid 

 the same season. The whole number deposited by an individual 

 in one summer may amount to four hundred ; whereas if the 



