The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-30
PROCURING TORTOISE SHELL,

HOW THE TURTLES ARE CAUGHT
cRuELTIEs OF THE TRAFFIC,
WORSE THAN THE SLAUGHTER
or BIRDS,
New York Post; There are many ar
,,cIes Of daily and hourly use, constantly
rssslng before our eyes and through
our hands, about the production OF
which We know comparatively little or
rotblng. An interesting example OF this
1. tortoise shell. from which combs ana
b,irpIns ar, made, besides a multitude
~ trInkets for the dressing table, the
JssI, and the pocket. Fierce crusader
nave been Instituted In recent yeari
aSainst the slaughter of birds for The
Drorurement of their plumage for hat
trimmings, and yet venture to say that
,ba nrocess OF procuring tortoise shell
&c n cruelty to animal life which far ex'
Goods that to which birds are subjected.
In the eighties happened to be down
On pluedelds, on that awful Mosquito
coast. and al the invitation OF one Man
,,sI I.atona, who was the owner and cap
,,In OF small schooner, went with him
20 tho cav FL Roncador for tortoise shell,
mis- cav gets its name (Which in Eng
I,sh would be The Snorer) from the exi
Iesdlngly angry surf, which can be
hoard for a long distance breaking over
,be reefs. This Is the cay on which, a
cnrnle of years back, the historic old
sbIn Constitution was wrecked and bat-
tsred 10 pieces. I'll RoncadOr is nothinA
more nor less than a typical coral ISL
and such as found throughout the
snuthern seas, three-quarters OF mile
long perhaps, and not more than
cuarter OF a mile across its widest part.
Surrounding the island Is reef, inside
If which the water is smooth and rather
shallow: and at the bottom of this shall
low water there grows a peculiar KIM
of sen grass. which is dainty food for
the turtle tribes. There IL also toand on
The top of the water inside the reel
sort OF small blubber fish, called IN
Spanish dedales, or thlmble fish, which
Is. perhaps, the greatest delicacy oil the
entire turtle menu.
The turtle whose shell Is valued ~
commerce Is small species known as
the hawks bill. There are other varie'
ties which come 80 FL Roncador 70
spawn. but they are not molested. Dur
ing the night the turtles crawl up on the
shore to lay their eggs, each female de-
posltIng on an average about seventy.
To do this they dig holes In the sanh
about two feet deep, and after laying
the eggs cover them over so deity that
Il is almost impossible for a novice 70
and them. These eggs are really dell
clous when roasted, but the turtle iish-
ers are careful not to destroy those they
do not take for food, so as to promote as
much as possible the Increase of this
valuable sea reptile. At night the fish
ers conceal themselves along the shore
ms well as possible, and when the tur'
lies come out of the water on the beach
they rush forth and turn them over or
their backs with iron hooks, leaving
them secure In this position until morn
ing
The tortoise shell of commerce Is not
os generally believed, the horny cover
ing or shell proper of the turtle; tits the
scales which cover the shield, These
scales are thirteen In number, eight OF
them being flat and the other five some
what curved. Four of those that arr
fiat are quite lRge. sometimes being al
much as twelve inches long and sever
inches broad nearly transparent ant
beautifully variegated In color with red.
yellow, white. and dark brown clouds
which give the effects so fully brough
out when the shell Is properly polished.
A turtle Of average size will furnish
about eight pounds OF these iaminae. oil
scales. each piece being from an eighth
To a quarter OF an inch In thickness,
q IN bnN lac Ntshiph thpua GRu 1nE
ARE lOOsened which Is the repulslve part
Of the business. The turtles are not
killed. as that would lead to their ex.
capturing them. the fishers walt 70
daylight To complete the work, The
turtles are turned over again in them
natural position and fastened firmly 10
the ground by means of pegs; then a
bunch Of dried leaves or sea grass II
spread evenly over the back of the tur-
tie and Sc, afire. The heat is not great
enough to injure the shell, merely Caus'
ing II to separate at the joints, A large
blade. very similar In shape to II chm.
lists SPARTA, Is tAen inserted horizon
tally between the laminae, which art
gently PRED from the back. Great care
must be taken not TO injure the shell by
too much heat, and yet 1t Is not forced
OF until II is fully prepared for separaN
tion by sufficient amount OF warmth.
The operation, as one may readily
imagine II the extreme OF cruelty, anH
many turtles do not survive it. Most
OF them do live. however, and thrive.
and In time grow new covering, just
as man will grow new finger nail If
place Of one he might lose The pecu
liarty Of the second growth of shell
though, Is that instead OF reproducing
the original number Of thirteen seq
ments, It is restored in one solid piece.
To see the operation OF taking the
shell from the living turtle once is about
all man OF northern breeding wants Of
It; and II the helpless reptile had the
power Of voicing their sufferings under
H. their cries would tell OF az hcartless
q business as man has yet engaged In,