TURTLES ON THE BRAZILIAN COAST. Yn 



(Testudo Caretta), partly on sea-grass, like the Green turtle 

 (T. Midas), and only go on shore during the warmest months 

 of the year, for the purpose of laying 

 their eggs. 



"We followed the monotonous sea- 

 coast," says Prince Maximilian of 

 Neuwied, in his interesting " Tra- 

 vels through the Brazils ;" "our 

 two soldiers, a Negro and an Indian, 



frequently Stopping to dig turtle-eggs Loggerhead Turtle. 



out of the sand, which, boiled in sea- 

 water, used to form our evening repast. Once, while they werfc 

 busy gathering drift-wood for cooking, we found at a small 

 distance from our fire an enormous turtle busy laying her eggs.. 

 We could not possibly have met with anything more agreeable ; 

 the creature seemed to have crawled there for the express 

 purpose of providing for our supper. Our presence did not 

 discompose her in the least ; she allowed herself to be touched, 

 and even raised from the ground, for which purpose four men 

 were required. During our loud deliberations on her future 

 fate, she gave no other sign of uneasiness than a blowing sound, 

 and continued to work slowly with her hind fins, throwing up 

 the earth at regular intervals. 



One of the soldiers stretched himself out at full length on the 

 ground near the purveyor of our kitchen, inserted his arm into the 

 earth-hole, and threw out the eggs as they were laid by the 

 turtle. In this manner above a hundred were collected in about 

 ten minutes. A council was now held as to the means of adding 

 the beast to our collection, but as it would have required an 

 additional mule for the transport, we gave it its life. These 

 colossal turtles — Midas, Coriacea, and Caretta — especially choose 

 these desert coasts for the laying of their eggs. They emerge 

 from the sea in the dusk of evening, and then crawl back again 

 into the water one or two hours after the setting of the sun. 

 Thus also the friendly turtle, which had so abundantly provided 

 for our wants, disappeared after a short time ; we found the large 

 hole filled up, and a broad trace in the sand showed that the 

 animal had again retreated to its favourite element. The Midas 

 is said to lay from ten to twelve dozen, and the Coriacea from 

 eighteen to twenty dozen eggs at once." 



