The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-09-24

dle ioulld III eacl neSb. Inc general ay-
erage is l30. Dr. Fox says that he has un-
earthed l10. Last Year however, DIR. Wal |
lace Of Turtle Mound, discovered hole |
contalnin. 21O eggs. This is probably the |
largest nest ever found on the Florida |
coast
When the female has filled her nest she |
covers the hole with moistened sand, and |
packs 1t down with her ilippers. No garden |
roller could make it more solid. The spot |
IS then sprinkled with loose sand. and the |
old turtle returns to the sea- The eggs
hatch within thirty five days The summer
sun Is very warm, and the sand becomes |
SO hot that it bllsters the feet When the |
young ones break the she'll they swarm to |
the surface and take a bee line for the |
water. Instinct points out the direct route |
Men nave driven shingles around Il turtles |
nest and awaited the Matching of the eggs |
hough out OF sight OF the water, the little !
ones Would crow 4 the side of the nclosure |
nearest the ocean, and die there unless re-
leased. When dropped behind sand bank
they turn to the east, and travel in tha.
direction with the confident earerness of
Masonic neophyte When hatched they
are a little larger than u silver half dollar. |
An EGG hunter usually walks the beach
L.
Is low, he finds the nest by the trails lead
ing from the water The deposit Is ALWAYS
found ON the curve Of the trail above hiph
water mark. The packed sand indicates
It's locality. Many turtles, however. make
what are called false nests They take
great pains to leave clear trail. and pack
the ground on the curve without dropnino
'tl egg. A'lef mus ehdeaNorlng TO mislead
'ile enemies OF then young, they Slip of to
some quiet spot and lay, This rtlsc de-
te'Ne1 men, bttt never bears. Bruln has Il
NV"h nose ANA IS always up to snuff, lie
never waste ms tlme on false nest, and
never ilii' 10 stop at good one. When
tiiaI iS i"uhd he makes The sand fly, As he
gradually scoops 1t out, his head disap-
pears ana ms hmd quarters stand up
against the sky. At such times his jov
| overcomes his fears All eautio,sness is
thrown aside, and he reiapses into the en-
| loyment of his delicacy \ daring man
| might walk up and pinch his hind leo
| without fear OF discovery More bears are
| Killed while nosing the nest of turtles than
| VIII keep 4 bear from a turtle hole.
v lille at Lake Worth heard story of
| two egg hunters who went ont on the
I
| them discovered !; nest and was about to
fliie IT. when his companion said, Let us
| - Of and tnd another one before dark.
| We can dig this up on the way back
| he r@9 hunter replied that he was afraid
some bear might get ahead of him ''Oh,
| throw your coat ON the nest, and no bear
VIII dar" to touch H. said his comrade.
he coat was thrown down They found
4 second nest thrre-Iuurtcrs of a mile
down the beach. Its eggs were secured,
they saw huge bear come out of the
paInett" >rfuh ana Walk along the shore,
Snt'lhnG Tor egg lhe men We're I'M
afmrd hH betr raised his head and saw
IN" coat IN Iliiy the garment W;s torn
lnl' carpet rag, ana the sand was flying
Ifom IN" net ne cgg hunters heard the
Smacklng OF Bruins chops. with |arrowtul
l,| I', 4"n ',''N'r ,'&'l" "r'rp'd ! coat
'l'''t l,ii,i. a. '"' 'i' - "'s'.