FROM CARLISLE TO THE OHIO 249 



like the common cat-fish of the Delaware, (Silurus 

 catus L.), is caught weighing 30-50 pounds; some 

 people even pretend to have seen them lower down 

 the river weighing as much as 80-100 pounds.* 



A peculiar turtle, which I could not get a sight of, 

 keeps in the Ohio and its tributaries. It is called the 

 softshell'd, and again the green turtle. The higher 

 and middle part of the shell is hard, but the edges are 

 said to be soft and pliable ; and the whole shell may be 

 cooked to a jelly. f The hind-feet are described as 

 webbed, as with the sea-turtle, the fore-feet being 

 supplied with digitals, and the flesh very good to eat. 

 Also the snapping-turtle is found in the waters of the 

 Ohio. This variety of turtle, little known in Europe, 

 is very common on the eastern coast of America, par- 

 ticularly in the middle provinces. It lives in swamps, 

 and on the banks of little streams as well salt as fresh ; 

 swims, but also goes on land ; I myself found one 

 near New York on a dry hill in the woods. It is dis- 

 tinguished from all others of its kind by the sharp 

 indentations on the hinder edge of its dirty black shell ; 

 by the breast-bone which does not, as with other 

 turtles, form a shield wholly covering the under part, 

 but has the shape of a broad cross ; and finally by its 

 uncommonly long tail.J The feet are 4-5 inches in 



* Carver mentions the cat-fish in the Mississippi, but of a 

 weight only of five or six pounds. 



t So probably the same indeterminate species as that found 

 by Catesby on the Savannah river, which sodden over and 

 over is said to become soft and edible, although the shell be- 

 fore cooking appears as hard as that of other kinds. See, 

 Schneider's Naturgeschichte der Schildkrotcn, p. 347. 



With regard to the indented hinder shell and the long tail 



