WAYS OF THE WILD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 281, 26 November 1932, Page 1 (Supplement)

WAYS OF THE WILD.

TORTOISES AND TURTLES.

MARVEIXOUS CREATURES.

(By A. T. PYCROFT.)

Turtles aro fairly plentiful in Melanesia, and I -was interested to see them floating on the surface and swimming under the clear water of tho tropics, the reptiles being near the surface, while in some case 3 the bottom, 80ft below, was clearly discerned. Tho natives brought turtle carapaces, or backs, to the snip for sale on several occasions. Turtle shell is used by the natives for a variety of purposes. It is frequently seen as a man's nose ornament in. the Santa Cruz group. The thick piece of the carapace near the tail of tne turtle is rounded to the size of a five shilling piece, or a little smaller, and worn through tho septum of the nose, where it hangs, covering tho mouth. Tho native does not remove it when diving, but raises it as one would a hinge lid. The children wear no clothing, but some aro considered dressed when wearing earrings of turtle shell suspended from tho lobes of the ears and reaching to the shoulders. The shell is also used throughout Melanesia for a variety of ornaments. Pishhooke of a portion of an iridescent shell and turtle shell are in common use._ The turtle is prized as food, and at ono island an artificial salt water enclosure was seen where the reptiles are confined until required. The eggs aro considered a great delicacy. Turtles are caught when asleep on the water, or when going ashore. They are also caught by being chased in the lagoon by two or three canoes. A man standing in each canoo keeps the turtle in sight and points with his paddle in the direction in which it is swimming, when the reptile is headed off by another canoe. In this manner it was often chased until it was quite breathless, when a man dived, and, by turning it, effected an easy capture.

Distinct From Other Reptiles. Tortoises and turtles aro easily defined among all the existing reptiles by the presence, mora or less, of a fullydeveloped bony shell investing the.body and containing within it the upper portions of the limbs; So utterly strange is the conformation of these extraordinary reptiles that if they were met with only in the fossil state they would be regarded as amongst the most marvellous of all creatures. Although the presence of a bony shell is of itself sufficient to distinguish the members of the group from other living reptiles, there are other marked skeletal differences, with the exception of the marine leathery turtles, the fresh water soft tortoises, and one other species in which it is invested merely with a continuous leathery skin. The shell of Chelonians, from the Greek a tortoise, is covered with a number of horny plates, which in the adult state at least are in contact with one another by their edges. These horny plates are very important in determining the different species. In habits the members' of the order Chelonia, cr tortoises and turtles, display as much diversity as they do in structure. Some are carnivorous, and others herbivorousj while some are marine, others fresh water, and others, again, more or less exclusively inhabitants of dry land; AH, however, are fond of •ivafcr, and even the most strictly terrestrial can swim. As regards distribution, tortoises are especially characteristic of the warmer parts of the globe, only six species inhabiting Europe, and these being confined to the more southern and eastern countries. The various groups and families are, however, by no means equally distributed over the different regions of the globe.

Within comparatively recent times giant land tortoises have, been mainly confined to what are known as oceanic islands, although they formerly occurred on most of the large continents. Geologically the order is a very ancient one, being represented throughout the whole of the secondary period, and thus beginning at a date when true crocodiles are not known to have come into existence. As to the origin of the group, nothing definite is at present known. The only members of the order of any real commercial value are two species of marine tortoises, one of which takes an important place in culinary affairs, while the other is the source of tortoiseshell. A small amount of tortoiseshell furnished by a few other species is, however, used. The giant tortoise of the Galapagos Islands is the largest living species. There is one at present in the New York Zoological Park which is 38Jin in length and weighs 2681b. These tortoises are said to be the oldest living beings >in the world, 400 and 500 years being claimed for the largest.

Turtles' Feet are Effective Paddles. The true turtles arc at once distinguished by the limbs being converted into flattened paddles, in which, at the most, only two of the toes are furnished with claws. They are further characterised by the heart-like form of the carapace, within which the head can bo only partially withdrawn. Entirely marine in their habits, and resorting to the shore onjy for the purpose of breeding, turtles lay spherical eggs with thin parchment-like shells, on sandy shores. In their entire conformation these chilonians are admirably adapted for an aquatic life, the body being depressed to facilitate rapid progress through the water, both the skull and shell being of unusually light and porous structure, while the limbs form most perfect paddles, capable of propelling their owners with- great speed through the water. The head is placed upon the neck in such a manner as to allow oi the ■ nostril being rapidly raised above the surface of the water for the purpose of breathing, and. the nostrils themselves can be hermetically closed by means of fleshy valves. The three bestknown species of turtles are inhabitants tropical and sub-tropical seas, ono [species, the loggerhead, occurring in the Mediterranean and occasionally wandering northwards.

The green turtle is widely celebrated as the source of turtle soup, and may be distinguished by its short beak. Its carapace has no commercial value, whereas the hawksbill turtle, which is generally rejected, as food, enjoys thereby no respite from persecution, since it is largely hunted for the beautiful mottled horny shields of its shell, which arc the chief source of the tortoiseshcH of commerce. Tho largest species or turtle is the loggerhead, rec °°' nised by its enormous hcatf. ,JJw re markabie leathery «&*ss•£& solitary survivor of a scries 01 tt forms ihose of dispute »"«SXry turtle is Mai peculiarity of the Jea J t0 bS Sch L a nioSc-like structure pa „ of a number, of irregular disc* TE closely joined together and en, &free, from % backbone and ribs.