HISTORY OF MAURITIUS*. 
“5 
hatched by the heat, which effects the purpose at the end of six weeks. The young 
ones, at their birth, are not larger than chickens;, and, on coming out of the 
shell, hurry instantly to the sea. We sometimes diverted ourselves with carrying 
some of them to the distance of a quarter of a league within land; when, being 
placed on the ground, they took the strait road to the sea. At this period they 
walk or crawl faster than when they are grown to a larger size. The fregates (sula 
fregata) and many other birds destroy them in such numbers, that not a tenth part 
escapes from such voracious enemies; but as the turtle lays every year from a 
thousand to twelve hundred eggs, the multiplication is not easily calculated. 
“These eggs are not so grateful a food as those of the land turtles; neither 
is the flesh so delicate. The eggs of both, however, are of the same shape; 
and the white is so soon desiccated, that the egg may be properly said to contain 
nothing but the yolk. 
" The liver of the sea turtle has scarcely any taste; but the smell is rancid; 
and it excites an unpleasant sensation in the stomach for a considerable time after 
it has been eaten. 
“ These animals feed on the herbs that grow at the bottom of the sea, and are 
never seen on shore but when they lay their eggs. Previous to that operation, they 
temain nine days in a state of coition. 
4< Their fat, after it has been once melted, remains in a liquid state. Its taste, as 
well as that of the land turtle, is very grateful to the palate, and a most excellent 
artiele for culinary purposes. 
—The sea turtle will live upwards of a month without eating, provided it has 
discharged its eggs, and is dashed, from time to time, with pails of sea water. Its 
blood is cold. t 
* . . . ' d ' ; : . muhil 
Fish. 
44 The Lamentin, or sea cow, (trichechus manatus, Linn.) is also found in great 
abundance in the seas that surround* this island, and appears indarge herds. Its 
head resembles^ that of a hog, with a less pointed snout. It has no,fins, but in their 
place two paws. The body is thick as far as the navel; and the tail has this pecu¬ 
liarity, in common with the whale, that the breadth.of it is horizontal, when the 
animal is laid on its belly. Its blood is warm, and its skin is rough, hard, and of 
a blackish hue. A small qu'antity of hairs is scattered over it, though they are 
Q 2 
