The Sea Turtles 



The Family Spbargida. Composed of a single genus and 

 one species the largest of the chelonians, which attains a weight 

 of 1,000 pounds. 



THE LEATHERBACK TURTLE; TRUNK TURTLE; 

 HARP TURTLE; LUTH 



Sphargis coriacea, (Linn.) 



Told from the other sea turtles taken off our coasts, by the 

 heavy, ridge-like processes, seven in number, running lengthwise 

 on the carapace. Instead of the horny shields usually present 

 on turtles, the carapace is covered with a leathery integument; 

 on large individuals, this soft covering is fully an inch in thick- 

 ness and saturated with oil, like whale blubber. The front 

 flippers are enormous; like the rear pair and the head, they 

 lack the coarse plates of the other marine turtles. 



Colouration. Dark brown, generally uniform, but some^ 

 times spotted with yellow. Very large individuals are often 

 blackish. 



Dimensions. The Leather-back Turtle is the largest of 

 living chelonians. Following are the measurements of a fine 

 example received at the American Museum of Natural History; 

 it was harpooned, while floundering, in a benumbed condition, 

 off the beach of New London, Connecticut: 



Total length, snout to end of tail 6 feet 



Length of Carapace 5 ' i inch 



Width of Carapace 3 i 



Width of Front Flipper i " 2 



Stretch of Front Flippers, tip to tip 9 " 



Diameter of Head 10 



Weight 715 pounds. 



Distribution. Generally distributed in tropical and semi- 

 tropical seas, but nowhere common; an accidental wanderer 

 to the temperate coasts. 



Habits. Approaching the beaches only to deposit its eggs, 

 this sea giant does not seem to differ in its habits from the other 

 marine turtles. It apparently subsists upon sea-weeds, crus- 

 taceans, molluscs, and fishes if it is able to catch the latter. 

 Agassiz explains that it breeds every year, in the spring, on 

 the Tortugas, the Bahamas and along the Brazilian coast. In 



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