A TURTLE’S NEST.

Northland Age, Volume VIII, Issue 25, 9 February 1912, Page 8

A TURTLE’S NEST.

J Along the southern coast of Amerir ea one may occasionally detect little g mounds of sand on the beach, almost a sure indication of the nest of the , green turtle. This creature first digs in the soft sands" by means of its - flippers a pit from fifteen to twenty k inches deep and a few feet above , high water mark. In this hole the

lllgll WttLtl llltliK. 11l llllb UUlc UIC mother turtle buries herself for two days. When she emerges she has invariably left behind a nest of eggs, which vary in number from eighty I to as many as two hundred. She then fills in the hole and leaves the hatching to the heat -of the -sun. An interesting fact about these eggs is that the* shells are quite soft. The period of incubation is about sixty days. As soon as they break out of their prison the young turtles immediately make for the water. Unfortunately they have many enemies—rats, birds and crabs steal the eggs, while as soon as the baby turtles reach the water they are liable to be devoured by the larger fish. Indeed, if all the eggs laid by the creatures were hatched and the turtles attained to an average size, these creatures would be almost as plentiful as cod. VERY SUDDEN. After a brief two weeks’ acquaintance, be invited her to go to a football match with him. As the players made their appearance from the dressing-room, he began to enlarge on their merits. "There’s Smith ; he’s first-rate—a splendid forward!”* lie said. '"And that’s Jackson over there. He’s really fine—going to be our best man in a few weeks !” "0 Walter ; he—he’ll do all right,” she lisped shyly. '"But it’s so sudden, dear !” The brave ship was wallowing in the waves that threatened to engulf her at any moment. Hastily the captain ordered a box of rockets and fires to be brought to .the rail, and with his own hands ignited a number of them, in the hope that they would be seen and the passengers and crew rescued. Amid the rockets’ red glare a tall, thin, austere individual found his way with difficulty to the rail and spoke to the captain. ■ "Captain,” said he, "I protest. We are now. facing death. This is no time for a firework display.” “To what do you ascribe your success in acquiring money ?” "Partly to the success of other men in letting go of it,” replied the great financier. "My husband is particularly liable to seasickness, captain,” remarked the lady passenger. "Could you tell him what to do in case of an attack ?” " ’Tain’t necessary, mum,” replied the captain. "He’ll do it.”