s 



485 



by the smell, when they open a hole, or, as they 

 say here, a nest of eggs*, recently made. These 

 animals feel so pressing a desire to lay their eggs, 

 that some of them descend into holes, that have 

 been dug by others, and are not yet covered 

 with earth. There they deposit a new layer of 

 eggs on that which has been recently laid. In 

 this tumultuous movement an immense number 

 of eggs are broken. The missionary showed us, 

 by removing the sand in several places, that this 

 loss may amount to one fifth of the whole gather- 

 ing. The yolk of the broken eggs contributes 

 in drying to cement the sand ; and we found 

 very large concretions of grains of quartz and 

 broken shells. The number of animals that dig 

 the beach during the night is so considerable, 

 that day surprises many of them before the lay- 

 ing of their eggs is terminated. They are then 

 urged on by the double necessity of depositing 

 their eggs, and closing the holes they have dug, 

 that they may not be perceived by the tigers. 

 The tortoises that thus remain too late are in- 

 sensible to their own danger. They work in the 

 presence of the Indians, who visit the beach at a 

 very early hour, and who call them mad tor- 

 toises. Notwithstanding the impetuosity of their 

 movements, they are easily caught with the 

 hand. 



* Niduda de huevos. 



