Reptiles. 



8853 



all ihe energy in their power, and plumping into the water, sink imme- 

 diately. If the observer kept qnite still, after the lapse of a few 

 seconds they would again appear at the surface. 



4. Chelonia virgata, Schneid. The green turtle of Europeans in 

 China is of frequent occurrence, often of a large size in the warm 

 waters of the Gulf Stream on the east of Formosa. At Sawo it is taken 

 in large numbers, dried and cut up into thin strips for food. It is of 

 rarer occurrence on the west coast, where it is oftenest found in spring. 

 On the Chinese coast it is a great rarity. There the fishermen have 

 great reverence for it, as it is regarded as the emblem of longevity. 

 When accidentally entangled in the fishing-nets, it is carried to the 

 nearest large town and exhibited for a short time. It is then usually 

 purchased from its captors by some well-to-do native, who has a few 

 " good words " carved on its back, in company with his own name and 

 the date, and fills-in the description with vermilion. The animal is 

 then decked with ribbons and carried in a boat with much ceremony 

 out to sea, where it is consigned with state into its native element. 

 Some very large specimens were brought from Sawo to Tamsuy ; they 



• were kept in a boat filled with water during the day. In the evening 

 we used to bring them out on to the deck of a vessel. One of them, 

 for several consecutive evenings at eight o'clock precisely, would com- 

 mence scratching the deck with her fore flappers and then set-to laying 

 eggs, usually twelve in number. She would then turn round and 

 commence pushing and scraping with her hind flappers, evidently the 

 manoeuvre she was in the habit of going through on the sandy beach, 

 first scratching a hole for the reception of the eggs, then filling it up. 

 I had one alive for some time in the yard of my house. It used to lie 

 motionless in the rain-puddles, with only the top of its head uncovered. 

 When the thermometer fell below 50° it would sally out of the water 

 and not return till it grew warmer. 



5. Caretta squamata, Bont. (Tortoise-shell Turtle). One of this 

 species was brought to me at Tamsuy about the 25th of January, 1861. 

 It w r as very lively and much more active than the green turtle, walking 

 about the floor with an awkward but somewhat rapid gait. In walking 

 it inclined the inner edge of its fore flapper up, so as to bring the claw 

 of the outer edge as a purchase on the ground. It was killed by a 

 deep incision in the neck above the thorax. Thus wounded it flapped 

 about from 1.30 till 4 p.m., when it ceased to move ; but at 11 p.m., 

 when 1 dissected the animal, I found the heart still beating and the 

 muscles sensible to touch and conveying motion to the limbs, though 



