8 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



Family Chelydridce; the Snapping Turtles: Three 

 species compose this family; two inhabit North America; 

 the other is a native of Mexico and Guatemala. From 

 the other New World turtles, these formidable brutes 

 are strikingly distinct. Their huge head, alligator-like 

 tail, the flabby, projecting folds of skins about the limbs 

 and the ridiculously small, cross-shaped plastron are 

 striking features of the structure; add to these the rough 

 carapace and the somber coloration, nowhere relieved by 

 a bright streak or spot, and the general aspect is so sin- 

 ister that it imparts more of the feeling inspired by a 

 thick-bodied, poisonous serpent than that of a turtle. 



Though the much aborted plastron is of absolutely no 

 protection to the fleshy parts, these strong- jawed crea- 

 tures are by no means handicapped. Their vicious,, 

 beady eyes are ever alert and their motions in biting are 

 lightning quick. The jaws of a full-grown individual 

 of the Common Snapping Turtle could readily sever 

 a man's finger and the big Alligator Turtle could as 

 easily amputate a hand. 



It is from their darting motion in biting, fully as quick 

 as a serpent's stroke, that the species of this family have 

 acquired the name of Snapping Turtles. They are per- 

 sistently aquatic and usually haunt fair-sized bodies of 

 muddy water. In keeping with the habits, the feet 

 are broadly webbed ; they are provided with very stout, 

 blunt nails. 



The Common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpen- 

 tina, is one of the smaller representatives of the family, 

 yet it grows to a weight of forty pounds and is ponder- 

 ous as compared with the greater number of American 

 fresh-water turtles. The carapace of a large example 

 is about fourteen inches long. On the rear margin, the 

 upper shell is coarsely serrated ; it has three blunt, broken 



