Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-12-16
TURTLES IN BRAZIL.

have repeatedly watched the move
ments of these animals. They walk by
means of their great fippers, assisted by
their short hind legs, with very slow,
hitching motion, the body dragging on
the sand. The fiippers and feet make two
irregular grooves in the sand, three or
four feet apart, which look as if great
wagon with cogged wheels had been driy-
en- over the beach. These tracks are so
prominent that one may see them even on
a dark night, and they serve to tell the
hunter whether the turtle has returned to
the sea or not, and to guide him to her, or
to her nest. While laboriously working
her way up the beach, the turtle keeps
her head stretched out, and from time to
time snuffs and sighs as if fatigued. and
now and then she rests. So intent Is the
animal upon the accomplishment of her
mission to land, that one may mount upon
her back without alarming her but if too
much disturbed, she hasterly turns about
and makes her way as fast as possible to
the sea. Arrived at the top OF the beach.
sometimes just above high water mark.
sometimes few feet higher up among
the sand-hills, at others even on the land
words side of the sand-ridge. she stops
and prepares to make her nest. This she
accomplishes by means Of her fat hind
feet, and after this manner: she digs up
the sand with one foot and throws it to
one side. Then she uses the other foot
in the same manner, working with one
foot after the other alternately. The
whole is very slow operation, occupying
several minutes. During this time the
animal remains with her head stretched
forward, with very little motion Of the
body, and occasionally giving hiss, or
breating heavily. In this way have seen
perpendicular hole dug in the sand, a
foot and a half or two feet deep, and
foot in diameter. The animal then remains
quiet, and the deposition of the eggs soon
begins. While one individual was laying.
caught the eggs in my hand, as they fell
They were laid two by two, or one by
one, at an interval of abont half a minute.
falling in heap into the hole, to the
number, if l remember rightly, of 143. A
nest almost always contains over 100 eggs,
and usually from 120 to150. When the
laying was going on, the animal appear
ed perfectly unconscious of the presence
of persons about her. So soon as it was
accomplished, she rested moment, and
then with her hind feet scraped the sand
back into the hole, until it was full. After
this the body then descended, packing the
sand tightly, and this operation was repeat
edseveral times. twas an exceedingly in
teresting sight to see this stupid reptile
performing so strange an act, one to which
she scenes to be prompted by something
more than blind instinct. The whole
operation finished, she turned round and
started for tbs sea, when we captured
her by taking hold of the shell behind,
and upsetting her ON her back, in which
position it is impossible for a sea-turtle to
turn over. In upsetting one of these an
imals two persons are usually required.
AS soon as alarmed, she throws her fore
paddles into the sand and throws it be-
hind her so that if one does not take the
precaution to close his eyes, he is likely
to be blinded.-Prof. c. II. Hart.