The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-01-09
Catching Turtles.
From New York Times

naDlU the warm waters aulacent 10 tue cOaSG
of Florida. OF these the green turtle is
the most highly priced for the superior
quality of its meat. This is of straight
grain and tender, light in color, and Of
peculiarly delicious favor. In the Key
West markets it brings a higher price than
any other turtle meat. The green turtle
derives its name from its color Its head
is remarkably small, and, unlike any other
turtle, its jaws are of a size and shape that
permit the upper one to fit into the lower.
The shell of the green turtle is about the
thickness of stiff paper and is of no value.
The general average weight is from 400
to 500 pounds. Sometimes on the fishing
grounds off Cedar Keys monsters of 1000
pounds weight are caught. The largest
ever landed at Cedar Keys weighed 200
pounds The green turtle inhabits grassy
bottoms and subsists entirely on turtle
grass 1t is obliged to come to the surface
every hour to breathe or elbow
The hawk's-bill turtle derives its name
from the shape of its bill, which resembles
that of a hawk. This variety gives to the
world the material out of which are made
the beautiful tortoise shell combs and other
ornaments so dear to the feminine heart.
The shell, which brings from 81 to So per
pound, according to its quality and the de-
mand for it, completely covers the turtles
back, and is invariably arranged in thirteen
rows. This remarkable uniformity in the
number of rows regardless ofthe turtle age
is observed in all the varieties of the reptile.
The hawk 's-bill does not attain the size
of other species, rarely exceeding $50
pounds in weight Its meat is palatable
and wholesome, but of darker color than
that of the other varieties. 1t is usually
found on rocky bottcus and subsists on
sponge and grass The hawk k's-bill remains
under water longer than any other turtle !;
| IL COmSo W thS euIldCC W DioM Ohi ohSO
in six hours, either the last of the food or
the beginning of the ebb.
The loggerhead ranks next to the hawks
bill in point of value. 1t attains about the
same size, although specimens weighing
300 pounds have been caught. Its meat
is of about the same quality, but its she'll
drops in value to twelve or fifteen cents a
pound. The shell is used for making cheap
combs and buttons. This species of turtle
inhabits rocky bottoms and subsist on
sponge, grass and conch shells. Its jaws
and teeth are of such remarkable strength
that it is enabled to and does indulge in
the delightful delicacy of the hardest and
strongest conch shells. The loggerhead is
frequently seen on the surface of the water,
when it comes up to blow, which it does
every half hour, holding in its jaws conch
weighing five or six pounds.
The bastard turtle is the offspring of the
green and loggerhead turtles. 1t is the
smallest of all, rarely attaining weight Of
over 100 or $50 pounds. The flesh is
edible but not so highly priced for food as
the othea varieties already mentioned
The trunkback turtle is the largest of all,
frequently reaching a weight of 1900
pounds
Turtles are simply summer visitors, mi
grating to our shores about the early part
of May and leaving them for deeper water
and warmer elimes about the latter part of
December A few Cramps" as they are
termed, are, however, occasionally caught
during the winter months Turtles have
sometimes been encountered hundreds of
miles from land, travelling in schools of
several thousand
There are four methods employed on the
American coast for the capture of turtles.
In the waters of North Carolina they are
caught by diving in the following manner /:
The turtle fisherman ties the painter of his
boat to his leg and rows along until one
is seen. He approaches it and dives upon
it from the boat, and seizing the anterior
edge of the carapace with one hand and
the posterior edge with the other, he turns
the head of the turtle upward, when the rep
tile immediatly rises to the surface, bringing
the fisherman with it. IF the water is deep,
the fisherman steers the turtle toward a
shoaler spot, keeping hold of it with one
hand and with the other pulling the boat
after him. When a suitable place is reach
ed he hoists the turtle into the boat
Another method is to strike the turtle
with spear, or "gauge," having long
line attached, but this method has been
very generally abandoned, as it often
injuries the turtle to such an extent as to
decrease its market value.
In the breeding season the female turtle
crawls upon the beach, selects warm, sandy
spot, digs hole with her fippers, and de-
posits her eggs to be hatched by the warmth
of the sun. Sometimes before reaching the
water she is caught, turned over on her
back, thus rendering her completely helpless,
and dispatched at leisure. 1t is no unusual
thing for turtle to lay as many as 125
eggs, although from go to 100 eggs is a
more usual clay"
The method usually adopted for catching
turtles is by the 'gill net The size of
mesh employed is about IL inches. The
nets are from so to 100 fathoms long, and
extend from the surface of the water to the
bottom. A turtle while swimming around
in the water comes in contact with net
and thrusts its head through one of its