The record-union., 1895-04-12
NUTRITIVE TURTLES.
No Less Than Forty Varieties in the
United States.

NO Less Than Forty Varieties In the
United States.
Edible turtles of the United States are
discussed by writer i'll the learned
ReUue ScielttifQUe. He considers that the
gourmets of this country are to be con-
graduated on the number of alimentary
reptiles at their disposal. No less than
forty varieties ofedible turtles are known
to exist in the United States.
The "loggerhead" is found upon the
Atlantic Coast from Virginia to Brazil. 1t
is giant that weighs from $40 to
l,60O pounds, especially in the south. The
eggs form an agreeable dish, but the flesh
is good only in the young individuals.
since it becomes oily and acquires a
musky taste in the adult So the animal
is hardly utilized except for the oil, the
applications OF which, however, are linn
tied by reason OF its odor.
1t is the green turtles that furnish the
greater part OF the true turtle meat.
These are the turtles par excellence. In
the Atlantic they are met with from New
York to Florida. Small at the north,
they increase in size toward the SOUTH
passing from weight of eight 10 fifteen
and twenty pounds at Charleston TO from
twenty to twenty-five at ST. Augustine
thirty five at Halifax River, fifty to sixty
at Indian River and fifty to 100 at Key
West. At Cedar Keys specimens have
been found that weighed 600, $40 and
even l,OC0 pounds.
They feed upon algae especially, and
Zosterae particularly, but in captivity are
content with pursiane. They often ap-
proach the mouths OF rivers, where they
appear to enjoy themselves. From
April to June they repair 10 the shore in
order to deposit their eggs. The Tortugas
Islands, which are uninhabited and
which are visited only by wreckers and
turtle fishermen, are one of their favor
ite haunts, but any desert beach of the
coast IS equally good Tor their purposes.
The female creeps up on the shore two
or three times, eXcavates a hole, and de-
posits therein from 100 to 200 eggs about
800 during the season. and returns to
nearly the same place every time, aud, on
each occasion, covers the eggs with sand
in order to conceal the site of the nest
The sun does the rest, but the seabirds
devour many OF the young ones, which,
as soon as Matched, open a passageway to
the exterior and betake themselves to the
ocean.
The flesh of this species is excellent.
and forms the principal ingredient OF
green turtle soup; and the amateur will
tell you that there is nothing so good as
the ''callapash," the flesh mixed with
green fat that is found under the cara
pace. The yelIowish "calipee' OF the
plastron IS good, too, but the calipash is
certainly better, eitherin soup or broiled.
This meat is sold in the large cites, both
in fresh and preserved STAT.
Formerly the turtle was taken by
means of harpoons or spears, but this
process injured the animal, and it is now
taken in nets or captured upon the beach.
Certain fishermen prefer to dive and take
the animal by hand, but when the reptile
is powerful this is not accomplished with
out some difficulty.
1t is in Florida especially that this fish
cry is carried on. AT Key West it is pur-
sued all the year. At Cedar Keys it is
carried on, especially from May to Octo-
ber, with drittnets from 20 to 100 fathoms
in length, that are placed on the surface
il the vicinity of bands of turtles, which
become entangled therein and are then
taken without trouble. They are not all
killed. If the fishing is good. and from
one to six a day are taken per crew or
boat. some are put aside and preserved in
a living state III crawl or incIosure at
the seaside, whence they are taken and
killed at the proper moment.
The swapping turtle and alligator turtle
are esteemed, but the terrapins (Pseude-
mys) are better known, and figure alone
with the green turtle upon restaurant
bills of fare.--New York World.