er to lay it in a more convenient position.
Scarcely had they done so, when at one bound it jumped into the river
and disappeared. They could never afterwards be persuaded to touch a
cayman.

TURTLE-CATCHING AND COLLECTING EGGS.

Both the Amazon and the Orinoco, with their tributaries, are frequented
by several species of turtles. The mode employed for capturing the
animals, as well as collecting the eggs, applies equally to both rivers.

There are several species of fresh-water turtles. The largest in the
upper waters grow to a great size, measuring nearly three feet long, by
two in breadth; so that one is a load for the strongest man. The
Brazilian Government make regulations for protecting the turtles whilst
laying, so that all the inhabitants on the banks may have an equal
chance of procuring a supply of eggs. The natives collect from all
quarters for this object. The turtles select the highest and driest
banks composed of the finest sand, which will be a sufficient time above
water to allow of the eggs being hatched by the heat of the sun. Some
of these banks are of great extent--many miles long, and often one or
more broad. They are the haunts and breeding-places of many different
kinds of animals, and are covered by tracks of alligators and turtles.
Not only do these here make their nests, but birds lay in them their
eggs during the dry season; and different kinds of fish use them for the
same purpose when covered with water. Here, too, the wonderful little
acara are found, with their young in their heads; and there are also
rounded shallow depressions in the mud, which the fishermen say are the
sleeping-places of the skates. They are certainly about the size and
form of a skate, and it can easily be believed that these singular
impressions in the soft surface have been made in this way. The
creatures, however, only frequent certain praias out of the number
existing. When the waters overflow the land, the young turtles move
into the interior, where they remain during their infant days in the
numberless lakes and pools in the forest. As the dry season approaches,
the full-grown turtles descend from the interior pools while the outlets
are still open (between July and August), and seek in countless swarms
their favourite banks. Sentinels are then posted on high lookout
places, situated at the ends of the banks, where they may watch the
proceedings of the creatures, and mark the spots they have chose