The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-02-16
EDIBLE REPTILES.
Turtles Which Contribute to the.
Worlds Food Supply
Monster CheIonians That Frequent the
Ocean Derfhs and Fresh Water Tor
toisesysyhich Are Highly Valued
in the Markets.


,Pbrtv-two species of tortoises in
habit the United States and adjacent
seas. They furnish nearly all of the
reptilian food supply of this country,
which is of great aggregate quantity,
and represents a value of hundreds of
thousands of dollars annu; lly. Among
them, saws the ST. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat. are several gigantic kinds which
live in the ocean, and are remarkable
in many ways. These marine turtles
are specially adapted to an aquatic
mode of existence. Their bodies have
a specific gravity almost exactly equal
to that of the water in which they are
immersed, so that they are able TO sus-
tain themselves at the surface for any
length of time without fatigue. They
never go ashore except to lay eggs.
Their hind feet are used as rudders,
while the fore feet, with which they
propel themselves, have motion sim
liar to that of a birds wings. In fact
all their movements are more those of
flying than of swimming.
These giant turtles are found all
along the Atlantic coast, though it is
only in southern waters that they oc-
cur in great numbers. One of the
most powerful of them is the logger
head, which attains a weight of six
teen hundred pounds. 1t is a rapid
swimmer and is often seen far from
land floating on the waves asleep
Carnivorous by nature, it feeds on crabs
and fishes, and especially on n large
species of conch, which il breaks with
its enormous jaws and devours in large
quantities. The flesh of this tortoise
is lcathery and oily, with a strong
smell of musk. In the West Indies
formerly it was given to the slaves for
food. Young specimens, however, are
tolerably palatablc, and are frequently
sold in the markets. A considerable
amount of oil may be obtained from
the loggeThead, but its rank odor un-
fits il for use in cooking. 1t has been
employed to smear on the sides of yes
sells, which it is said to preserve from
shipworms, and to soften certain
feathers. The scales forming the shell,
though bigger than those of the tor
toise-shell turtle, are very thin and apt
to be wrinllled and filed with impuri-
ties. On that account they are not used
to any great extent in the arts.
The tortoise shell of the Florida and
Gulf coast is found in many other parts
of the world. 1t does not attain weight
of more than three hundred pounds
Its diet is exclusively vegetable but it
is much more fierce than the carnivor-
Gus and harmless loggerhead. 1t bites
severely and infiicts painful wounds
so that fishermen have to be on their
guard against its attacks. The scales
or plates that cover its bOny shell form
the tortoise shell of commerce. They
are arranged in three rows. the central
containing five plates and each of the
lateral rows four plates. In addition
the margin OF the shell has twenty
five small plates The colors preferred
are mingled golden yellow, reddish
Jasper and white or brown. A variety
in which much white occurs is highly
esteemed, especially by the Chinese. 1t
is known as blonde she'll" The best
tortoise shell comes from the Indian
archipelago. The material is initiated
beautifully in cows horn, so that only
an expert can tell the difference
Combs made from the golden yellow
under shell of this tortoise are eagerly
sought by Spanish ladies, fetching
from fifteen to twenty dollars apiece
Another great marine tortoise is the
green turtle, famous in soup. In size
it comes between the loggerhead and
tortoise-shcll, reaching a weight of one
thousand pounds. It lives mostly in
deep water, feeding on plants, especial
ly on one called turtle grass" This
il cuts off near the roots, to procure the
most tender and Succulent part, which
alone iS eaten, while the rest of the
plant floats to the surface and is there
collected in large fieldS-a sure indica-
ton that the feeding ground of the an
imals is near. The latter, after brows-
ing for awhile in these pastures of sea-
weed, seek the mouths of rivers TO
battle in fresh water, which seems to
he necessary for them from time to
time. In Florida the green turtle is
said by turtle fishers to enter the
creeks which abound on that coast.
and, having eaten its fill of the sea
grass growing there, to roll together
masses of it as big as a mans head
which il cements with clay. Then.
when the turn of the tide takes tlic
ball out to sea, the turtle follows it.
feeding on it. When, therefore, the
fishermen find any of these balls float
ing down n creek, they at once spread
strong net across the mouth and al
ways secure a number of the tortoises.
The flesh attached to the upper she'll is
known in cookery as ''calipash," " while
that attached to the lower shell is
called ''calipee."
There are good many families of
edible fresh water tortoises which live
in rivers, ponds and marshes. Among
these are several species of soft-shelletl
turtles, which are frequently seen in
the markets, their flesh being said to
be even superior to the green turtle
They are taken with hook and line,
swapping greedily at any kind of fish
They feed on small fishes. snails and a
variety of vegetable matter Most FIRE
quently they are seen along the mar
gins of sluggish and shallow streams.
wooing sweet repose in the voluptuous
and buXom mud-banll. 1t is said that
some of them do much damage in DO
tato fields situated near water courses
which they inhabit, since they are var,J
fond of browsing on the stems of thi
plants.
FRESH FOREIGN FACTS.
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