MODES OF CATCHING TURTLES. 



643 



they are the marks of the four large and long fin-shaped feet or paddles, and between 

 them may be seen a broad furrow where the heavy body trailed along the ground. On 

 following these traces about thirty or forty yards shore-upwards, the huge animal may be 

 found sitting in a flat excavation formed by its circular movements, and in which one- 

 half of its body is imbedded. It allows itself to be handled on all sides without 

 making the least attempt to move away, being probably taught by instinct how useless 

 all endeavors to escape would be. A blowing or snorting like that of a goose when 

 any one approaches its nest, at the same time inflating its neck a little, are the sole 

 signs of defence which it exhibits. Similar scenes take place during the dry season, 

 throughout the whole of the tropical zone, on every sandy, unfrequented coast : for the 

 same instinct which prompts the salmon to swim stream-upwards, the cod to seek eleva- 

 ted submarine banks, or the penguin to leave the high seas and settle for the sum- 

 mer on some dreary rock, attracts also the turtles from distances of fifty or sixty 

 leagues to the shores of desert islands or solitary bays. 



The enemies of the marine chelonians are no less numerous than those of the terres- 

 trial or fluviatile species. While the full-grown turtles, as soon as they leave the 

 water, are exposed to the attacks of many ravenous beasts, from the wild dog to the 

 tiger or jaguar, storks, herons, and other strand or sea-birds devour thousands upon 

 thousands of the young before they reach the ocean, where sharks and other greedy 

 fishes still further thin their ranks, so that but very few escape from the general massa- 

 cre, and the whole race can only maintain itself by its great fecundity. 



Of all the foes of the turtle tribe there is, however, none more formidable than 

 man, as even on the most lonely islands the seafarer lies in wait, eager to relieve the 

 monotony of his coarse fare by an abundant supply of their luscious flesh. On the 

 Isle of Ascension, the head- quarters of the finest turtle in the world, all the move- 

 ments of the poor creatures are carefully watched, and when, after having deposited 

 their eggs in the sand, they waddle again towards the sea, their retreat is often inter- 

 cepted, for two stout men running up to the unfortunate turtle after the completion 

 of her task, one seizes a fore-flipper and dexterously shoves it under her belly, to serve 

 as a purchase ; whilst the other, avoiding a stroke which might lame him, cants her 

 over on her back, where she lies helpless. From fifteen to thirty are thus turned in a 

 night. In the bays, when the surf or heavy rollers prevent the boats being beached 

 to take on board the turtles when caught, they are hauled out to them by ropes. 



The way by which the turtles are most commonly taken at the Bahama Islands is 

 by striking them with a small iron peg of two inches long, put in a socket at the end 

 of a staflT of twelve feet long. Two men usually set out for this work in a canoe, one 

 to row and gently steer the boat, while the other stands at the end of it with his 

 weapon. The turtles are sometimes discovered by their swimming with their head 

 and back out of the water, but they are more often seen lying at the bottom, a fathom 

 or more deep. If a turtle perceives he is discovered, he starts up to make his escape ; 

 the men in the boat, pursuing him, endeavor to keep sight of him, which they often 

 lose and recover again by the turtle putting his nose out of the water to breathe. 



On Keeling Island, Mr. Darwin witnessed another highly interesting method of 

 catching turtle : " The channel was exceedingly intricate, winding through fields of 

 delicately-branched corals. We saw several turtles, and two boats were then em= 

 ployed in catching them. The method is rather curious : the water is so clear and 



