EEPTILES, SNAKES AND AMPHIBIANS EATEN AS FOOD. 210 



Le Vaillant ("Travels in Africa," vol. i., p. 116) thus 

 speaks of the tortoises there: — "Next morning, the 

 weather being cool and cloudy, we marched six hours in 

 order to reach the borders of a very large pond, abound- 

 ing with small tortoises, of which we caught about 

 twenty ; we broiled them all in the same maimer on the 

 coals and found them excellent. They were from seven 

 to eight inches in length and about four in breadth. 

 The shell on the back was of a whitish-grey colour, 

 inclining a little to yellow; when alive they had a disagree- 

 able smell, but by roasting this was entirely destroyed." 



M. da Silva Coutinho, a member of the Brazilian Com- 

 mission at the Paris Exhibition in 1867, in an. article on 

 the tortoises of the Amazon,* states that " The flesh of 

 the Podomemis expansa, of the family of Emydes, is the 

 most savoury of all. It is with this the best dishes are 

 prepared, and it will of itself constitute the base of a 

 repast the most delicate. According to the part of the 

 body employed, and the manner of preparing the flesh, 

 the flavour will vary and resemble either veal, fowl, or 

 pork. The natives feed continually on it. When I made 

 a voyage of exploration in the region of Para I lived on 

 the flesh of this tortoise for more than two months with- 

 out being surfeited. Its flesh is of such easy and healthy 

 digestion that it replaces fowl for the sick, as is practised 

 in the military hospital of Manaus." This species is the 

 most abundant of all the turtles of the Amazon region. 

 Its flesh is good for food, and its eggs are converted into 

 an oil, which is generally used for burning, but when fresh 

 it has little flavour, and might be utilised in preserving 

 food, as it already is in the local preparation known as 

 Mexira. A turtle of three feet, which costs in the Amazon 

 region about 5s., will support a family of six persons for 

 three days. The fat can also be employed, being more 

 palatable and healthy than lard. Aji ordinary animal 

 win furnish five pounds of fat, and as this is worth Is. a 



* " Bulletin of the Society of Acclimatation, Paris," vol. xv.i- 

 p. 147. 



