210 Handbook of Nature-Study 



The aquarium should ahv;iys have in it a stone or some other object 

 projecting above the water, so that the turtle may climb out, if it chooses. 

 In winter, turtles bury themselves in the ooze at the bottom of ponds and 

 streams. Their eggs have white leathery shells, are oblong in shape, and 

 are buried by the mother in the sand or soil near a stream or pond. The 

 long life of turtles is a well authenticated fact, dates carved upon their 

 shells show them to have attained the age of thirty or forty years. 



The following are, perhaps, the most common species of turtles: 



(a) The Snapping Turtle This sometimes attains a shell 14 inches 

 long and a weight of forty pounds. It is a vicious creature and inflicts a 

 severe wound with its sharp, hooked beak; it should not be used for a 

 nature-study lesson unless the specimen is very young. 



(b) The Mud Turtle The musk turtle and the common mud turtle 

 both inhabit slow streams and ponds; they are truly aquatic and only 

 come to shore to deposit their eggs. They cannot eat, unless they are 

 under water, and they seek their food in the muddy bottoms. The 

 musk turtle when handled, emits a very strong odor; it has on each 

 side of the head two broad yellow stripes. The mud turtle has no 

 odor. Its head is ornamented with greenish yellow spots. 



(c) The Painted Terrapin, or Pond Turtle This can be determined by 

 the red mottled border of its shell. It makes a good pet, if kept in an 

 aquarium by itself, but will destroy other creatures. It will eat meat or 

 chopped fish, and is fond of earthworms and soft insects. 



(d) The Spotted Turtle This has the upper shell black with numerous 

 round yellow spots upon it. It is common in ponds and marshy streams 

 and its favorite perch is, with many of its companions, upon a log. It 

 feeds under water, eating insect larvae, dead fish and vegetation. It 

 likes fresh lettuce. 



(e) The Wood Terrapin This is our most common turtle ; it is found 

 in damp woods and wet places, since it lives largely upon the land. Its 

 upper shell often reaches a length of six and one-half inches and is made 

 up of many plates, ornamented with concentric ridges. This is the turtle 

 upon whose shell people carve initials and dates and then set it free. All 

 the fleshy parts of this turtle, except the top of the head and the limbs, 

 are brick-red. It feeds on tender vegetables, berries and insects. It 

 makes an interesting pet and will soon learn to eat from the fingers of its 

 master. 



(f) The Box-Turtle This is easily distinguished from the others, 

 because the front and rear portions of the lower shell are hinged so that 

 they can be pulled up against the upper shell. When this turtle is 

 attacked, it draws into the shell and closes both front and back doors, and 

 is very safe from its enemies. It lives entirely upon land and feeds upon 

 berries, tender vegetation and insects. It lives to a great age. 



(g) The Soft-shelled Turtle These are found in streams and canals. 

 The upper shell looks as if it were of one piece of soft leather, and resem- 

 bles a griddle-cake. Although soft-shelled, these turtles are far from soft- 

 tempered, and must be handled with care. 



