All these pains she takes to protect her eggs from raccoons and turtles, as well as vultures and other birds, that are very fond of them.

She haunts near the spot while the eggs are hatching, so as to keep off these enemies.

When the young are out, her first care is to get them to the water out of the way of such dangers.

This seems to be their first instinct, too; for no sooner are they free from the shell than they are seen scuttling off in that direction, or following their mother, many of them having climbed upon her back and shoulders." "But, brother," interrupted Francois, "is it true that the old males eat their own young ?" "Horrible though it be, it is perfectly true, Francois.

I myself have seen it." "And I," said Basil, "several times." "The first care of the mother is to get them to the water, where she can better conceal them from their unnatural parent; but, notwithstanding all her precautions, many of them fall victims, both to the old alligators, and the larger tortoises, and birds.