The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-24
FAD A MANIA FOR TURTLES.
A French Jesuit Clergyman and His
very Remarkable Hobby.
Fron, Me G1nd Rqptds Teleqrana.star.

From the Grind Rapids Teleardna-Star
In tramping around this little earth one
meets with some odd characters-men
whose fancies and tastes develop in queer
lines. One of the most conspicous examples
ever met with was Jesuit clergyman
who divided his time between looking after
the welfare of the souls of the heather and
studying ne habits of turtles.
Turtles were his hobby. OF them he
| talked by day and dreamed by night. l
have seen the old man sitting on the deck
of his Chinese houseboat surrounded by
| turtles dead and alive, turtles big and turtles
small. He had collected over forty species
OF the genus turtle, and it was the delight
| OF his life to find somebody who took the
| least particle of interest in his researches.
He knew ali about his subject; could tell
when and whore and how each ''nested";
could describe their eggs, their feed, how
| the young found their way into the world
| from the sandbank, where they had been
warmed into being by the heat of the sun,
and found themselves buried under the sand
sometimes several feet deep. He was a
connoisseur in turtle meat and eggs. He
would smack his lips over fowl of turtle
| soup and rice, and, indeed, kings have
| filled tneir stomachs with less delicate food.
] Il novelty in my interview with the natur
alist was that we could not speak any lam
guage in common and called in the services
OF Chinese interpreter. The priest spoke,
in addition to his own tongue, the Chinese
language. | spoke only tne English.
Through the medium of an interpreter,
| therefore, he told me much about his noboy.
| knew but little about turtles. | could
tell one when l saw it, but knew all species
| simply as turtles. The enthusiast told me
much about the different varieties, and
| found myself much interested in what he
| had to say He had followed the tracks of
| the clumsy beings from their element as
they had dragged their heavy bodies
| through the sands to their nesting and feed
ing grounds Some species measure over
SIX feet IN length, and when they creep
over the soft sand they leave a track not
| unlike the impry ssion made by saw-lOg
being dragged over the ground.
| He had followed these with characters
| tic patience and watched them burrow in
the sand, and had digged up the result in
| the shape of no less than hundred eggs
| left alta single inning" The female of
most species digs into the earth and deposits
| her eggs. 1t Is not uncommon to find a bar
rel of eggs i'll single hole, where one after
another has dug into the same spot TO
economic labor. The eggs are about the
| size OF that OF the guinea hen and are as
round as marbles. they are much sought
| after for food and gathering these eggs
/
islands.
Iurtle-hunting is also largely engaged in
| by the islanders. The hunter arms hi nself
| with a board about a foot wide and six feet
| long, and tracks noiselessly along the shore
until he finds where one has left the water
| for a stroll on the shore The animals are
very shy and their hearing is acute. On
the first warning of the approach of man
| they head for the sea, and the board is put
| down before them, and when they get well
over it sudden ''yank" lands them upon
their backs, and they are unable to get
| away. Here they are left until daylight,
when they are gathered in for Strengthening
| or sold in the markets.
The majority of turtles are carnivorous.
although some are vegetarians. They sub
sist largely upon cruStaceans. The surf
lines the shore with beautiful shells.
The low orders of animal life that build
these varl-colored and many-shaped shells
have fallen victims to the hunger of turtles.
They nip off the fieshy portions OF conches
and leave the remainder of the carcass to
ecay, when the shells float to the surface
and are washed ashore. Here they bleach
in the sun until picked up and sold, when
they find their place in the home of civil
liked peoples, where they take their place
as door props, ornaments, or dinner horns
as the fates may decree.
japanese waters abound with many large
varieties of turtles, and the delicate carved
jewelry and ornaments of japanese make
are celebrated the world over.
The more Father de Vinci' discoursed
| upon his theme the more interested / be-
came, and really one might spend his spare
hours in less entertaining way than in
the study of the life, habits, and destiny of
| turtles