120 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Mar., 



prising ability to dig through the sand and could jump forward 

 practically its own length. 



On account of the size and weight of this turtle, it was impracti- 

 cable to carry a large series out of the Okefinokee with the limited 

 means of conveyence afforded to the expedition, but sufficient data 

 were secured from the large number of specimens observed to give a 

 fairly accurate account of their appearance, habits and life history. 

 A number of heads, skulls, carapaces, young turtles and eggs, both 

 mature and embryonic, were collected and brought out of the swamp, 

 and notes were made on the adults in their native environment. 



The adult turtle may be described as follows from an average 

 specimen taken June 12, 1912, on Billy's Island, and preserved as 

 C. U., No. 6,471. 



Carapace chocolate-colored with obsolete irregular patches of 

 black; strongly tuberculate at anterior end, with faint, subparallel, 

 longitudinal rows of tubercles extending the entire length of the 

 vertebral and costal regions of the carapace and becoming more 

 prominent and pronounced at the posterior end; marginal area soft 

 and flabby, especially at posterior half. Plastron smooth, yellowish- 

 white, extending well forward and somewhat exceeding the carapace, 

 almost entirely covering the fleshy parts anteriorly, narrower behind 

 and leaving much of the posterior part of the body exposed. Head 

 comparatively small, smooth, brown, markings very faint; snout 

 developed into a long fleshy proboscis; lips fleshy. Tail thick; 

 vent close to end; extremity of tail suddenly' acuminate beyond 

 vent. Measurements: Carapace 15| inches long, 11 inches wide; 

 plastron 11| inches long, 10 inches wide; height of shell 5 inches; 

 width of head 2| inches. 



The heads were cut off from some of the larger specimens and 

 preserved when it was impossible to carry the entire turtle. 



Such a head, representing one of the largest of the turtles cap- 

 tured (No. 6,473), measures 3^ inches in maximum width, 2 inches 

 in height, | inch between eyes, 3 inches from snout to angle of mandi- 

 ble, and shows a proboscis | inch in length. The head is brown 

 above, with white on snout, below the eyes and at edges of mandibles, 

 and yellowish-white on the entire under side. The e3^es are small 

 and, as will be noticed from the measurements, near together. The 

 head is strongly tapering and the opening of the mouth well inferior. 

 The lips are fleshy with loose skin and the jaws large and strong. 

 This head was from a large female taken June 22, 1912, which con- 

 tained 49 embryonic eggs in an advanced stage of development. 



