ZOOLOGY. 



Of the sea Turtles, the most in request is the Green 

 Turtle, so well known to epicures, which amongst other 

 eminent discoveries of the moderns, is now esteemed a most 

 wholesome and delicious food. About forty sloops are 

 employed by the inhabitants of Port Royal in Jamaica, in 

 the fishery; and as the account of the manner of taking them 

 is rather interesting, we shall insert it at length. 



" The inhabitants of Bahama, who are very expert at 

 the art, proceed in small boats to Cuba and the adjoining 

 islands, where in the evening, especially on moonlight 

 nights, they watch the return of the Turtles to and from 

 their nests, some are so targe that it takes three men to turn 

 one of them over. At other times they strike at them with 

 a staff or spear about twelve feet long, when tired and eX-, 

 hausted with the pursuit he sinks to the bottom, till those* 

 who are most expert in diving will descend and bring them 

 to the top, while another slips a noose around their necks." 



The Tortoise of Ceylon which is extremely small, but 

 elegant in its markings, has a considerable resemblance to 

 the Ching-quaw; or, Panama Tortoise; but cannot be con- 

 sidered as the same animal, being the native of so distant a 

 country, and the description we have of it is rather imper- 

 fect. 



All the land Tortoises are remarkable for their longevity 

 and their strong retention of life, even after the head has 

 been divided from the body, and in this respect have a 

 striking resemblance to the Eel; some of them have been 

 authenticated to have existed for a hundred years, and one 

 of that age is said to be now living at the City of Oxford. 



The ingenuity of man has invented from the covering of 

 the Tortoise a great variety of pleasing and useful toys. 



