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caught it by one of its flippers and managed to turn it on its 
back, and then dragged it to shore. Some of his comrades at 
once seized it and soon lifted it to a sort of wooden barrow 
still on its back. Four of them then shouldered the barrow 
and carried the turtle off to markc-t to be cut up for sale. 
I would here mention that my friend the Hon. S. Ward has 
kindly given me the use of the copious notes he made on all 
subjects connected with the Seychelles during the time he was 
Civil Commissioner there. They are full of valuable informa- 
tion and I willingly avail myself of it. My time there was so 
limited I am glad to be able to supplement my own observa- 
tions with facta from so able a source. 
The Green Turtle ( Chelonia viridis) and the Hawksbill 
Turtle ( Garetta imbricata ) both abound in these seas, but from 
their reckless destruction, their numbers are gradually lessen- 
ing. The former, of Aiderruanie repute, grows to a great size, 
but its shell; with the exception of the centre plate called 
“ Gaouane ” is worthless. This is used for common veneering, 
and it takes 3 turtles to give a pound of it, yet, every year 
large numbers are sacrificed to procure it. In 18G2, 600 pounds 
of “Caouane” were exported for which 1800 turtles must have 
been destroyed, giving au average of 490,000 lbs. of weight 
good eatable flesh wasted and left to rot on the beach. 
“The valuable Tortoise shell of commerce is procured from 
the Hawk’s bill. Some are speared as they lie floating on 
the water, with an instrument like a sharp spike nail attached 
to a long stick. When struck with this spear the air rushes 
in under the carapace and prevents the animal from sinking, 
thus facilitating its capture. Others are caught when they 
come on shore to lay their eggs, as they only require to be 
turned on their backs to securo them. 
“ They come on shore at night and dig a hole 3 or 4 feet 
deep in the sand with their flippers, and therein deposit their 
eggs, afterwards so carefully covering them that it is ouly au 
expert can find them. Before I left Mahe, I saw one of my 
country men unearth a nest which had over a hundred eggs 
in, and he took them and buried them near his house in an 
enclosure that he might get them when hatched, at which 
period the turtle is considered a great delicacy-. 
