Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-09-01
SOMETHING ABOUT TURTLES.
A French Jesuit Clergyman and HI
Queer Hobby.

SOMETHING ABOUT IcHiIso.
A French Jesuit Clergyman and HIS
Queer Hobby.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 24.-In tramping
around this little earth one meets with some
odd characters-men whose fancfes and
tastes develop in queer lines One OF the
most conspicuous examples ever met was q
Jesuit clergyman, who divided bis time be-
tween looking after the welfare OF the souls
Of heather and studying the habits OF turtles.
Turtles were bis hobby. OF them be 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 de
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 all about his subject; could tell
when and where and how each ''nested; p
could describe their eggs, their food, how
the young found their way into the world
from the sand bank where they had been
warmed into being by tho heat OF the sun,
and found themselves buried under the sand
sometimes several feet deep.
He was O connoisseur In turtle meat and
eggs He would smack his lips over a bowl
Of turtle soup and rice, and indeed kings
have filled their stomachs with less deiicate
food.
A novelty In my interview with the
naturalist was that we could not speak any
language in common, and called In the ser
vices of a Chinaman interpreter.
The priest spoke, in addition 70 his own
tongue, the Chinese language. Ispoke only
the English. Through the medium Of an In
terpreter, therefore, he told me much about
his hobby. knew but little about turtles.
/ could tell one when saw it, but knew al
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 feeding
grounds. Some species measure over SIX
feet in length, and when they creep over the
soft sand they leave track not unlike the
impression made by q sawlog being dragged
over the ground He had followed these with
characteristic patience, and watched them
OuiEOW Aito tlC ottiiek, aIhu utSbCo uP t1c
result In the shape Of no less than q hundred
eggs left at a single ''inning.n The female Of
most species digs into the earth and deposits
her eggs. 1t is not uncommon to find bar
rel of eggs in a single hole, where one after
another has dug into the same spot to
economic labor. Tho 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
forms large industry liz all southern sea
islands
Turtle hunting is also largely engaged in
by the islanders. The hunter arms himself
with board about foot wide and six feet
long, and tracks noiselessly along the shore
until he finds where one has left tie water
for stroll on the shore. The animals are
very shy and their hearing is acute On the
first warning OF tho approach Of man they
head for the sea, a',d tho board is put down
before them, and when they get well over it,
a sudden ''yankn lands them upon their backs,
and they are unable to get away. Here they
are left until daylight, when they ara
gathered in for slaughtering or sold In the
markets.
The majority of turtles are carnivorous,
although some are vegetarians. They sub
sist largely upon crustaceansL The surf lines
the shore with beautiful shells.
The low orders of animal life that build
these vari-colored and many shaped shells
have fallen victims to the hunger of turtles
They nip of the fieshy portions of copches,
and leave the remainder Of the carcass to de-
cay, when the shells float to tho surface and
are washed ashore. Here they bleach In the
sun until picked and sold, when they find
their place in the home of civilized peoples
where they take their place as door props,
ornaments or dinner horns, as the fates may
decree.
japanese waters abound with many largo
varieties Of turtles, and the delicate carved
jewelry and ornaments of japanese make arc
celebrated the world over.
The more Father de Vincin discoursed upon
his theme. the more interested became, and
really one might spend his spare hours In o
less entertaining way than in the study Of
the life, habits and destiny OF turtles.
B.. N ToN.