2^HE SEYCHELLES 
207 
Reptilia are the turtles, which are kept for their flesh 
in special tanks and are chiefly imported from Aldabra. 
The hawks-bill turtle, so useful on account of its tortoise¬ 
shell, is frequent on the coa'sts. The Indian gavial is 
said to be found in the waters. An elegant lizard 
{^Pachydactyhis cepedianus) is of a brilliant green with 
bright red spots on the back. Geckoes are numerous 
and even coeciliae have been mentioned. The graceful 
Mascarene frog [Rana mascarejiiensis) is not to be found 
here among the representatives of the Amphibia, although it 
is frequent over the whole of the East African Archipelago. 
The Insect world is poor. There is a strange locust, 
remarkable for its mimicry, the leaf insect [Phyllium 
siccifolmni)^ which, however, does not, as the name im¬ 
plies, resemble a dried-up leaf, but one of light green, so 
that it requires some practice to detect it. Boys of the 
place catch these wonderful creatures in order to earn 
pocket-money by offering them to strangers at tolerably 
high prices. 
Domestic animals are scarce; the goat is the only 
animal besides the dog which is kept in any considerable 
number; humped cattle or zebus are but seldom met 
with, so that meat has to be obtained in some other way. 
The turtle is principally used here to supply meat, and 
its flesh takes the place of beef. The island of Aldabra 
is the chief source of supply, and as yet this has always 
proved a prolific one. 
The turtles are imported alive and taken when wanted 
from the tanks in which they are kept. As, however, many 
of these animals perish from being cooped up in the ship, 
people are beginning to send the meat in a dry state, and 
it is then sold in the Seychelles at 50 centimes per pound. 
Husbandry, as regards the cultivation of profitable plants, 
might be carried on far more skilfully than is actually 
the case. The inhabitants, enervated by the mild climate, 
are just a little indolent. The chief plant of cultivation 
