Collecting Turtles 



The collector must be somewhat of an ecologist and know when and 

 where to look for each kind. Some, like the painted turtles, are commonly- 

 found in lakes and ponds with a good growth of water'lilies. Others, like the 

 geographic, prefer more open water. Mud and musk turtles often lie on sunlit 

 but submerged mud bars. Soft-shelled turtles prefer large, muddy rivers. 

 Snapping turtles may occur in any body of water. Females of almost all 

 species may be found wandering in search of suitable sites for egg-laying in the 

 early summer. Hand or dip-net seems to be the most generally successful piece 

 of equipment for collecting aquatic turtles, although sometimes an area may be 

 found in which a seine may be maneuvered around the snags and brush where 

 the more aquatic turtles hide. Floating box or barrel traps are useful, if one 

 wants several of the same kind and docs not object to drowned specimens. 



A generalization as to turtle disposition may be of aid to the collector. 

 The smaller the plastron or under shell of the turtle in proportion to the size 

 of the upper shell or carapace, the more aggressive is the turtle. Snappers and 

 soft-shells, apparently realizing their lack of defenses, protect themselves by 

 vigorous aggression. Box turtles, with complete ventral armor, seldom bite 

 and usually make docile pets. 



Presern'ing Turtles 



To preserve turtles for scientific purposes, they are best killed by inject- 

 ing about ten cubic centimeters of chloroform or ether into the body cavity 

 with a hypodermic needle. Within half an hour the animals should be com- 

 pletely relaxed, and ten per cent formalin can then be injected into the body 

 cavity until the neck and legs extend in the normal walking position. The 

 mouth should be wedged open, so that the grinding surfaces of the jaws are 

 visible. A label may be affixed to one leg. Then the animals should be com- 

 pletely immersed in five per cent formalin. Stone crocks or copper wash boilers 

 (not tinned) make good storage containers. 



Identification 



The names and arrangement of the outer plates or scutes of the cara- 

 pace and plastron should be learned. A specimen of the box, mud or musk 

 turtle group should be examined in order that the structure of hinges between 

 shell sections may be understood. The nature of the jaws, serrate or smooth, 

 and the notches or hooks in the front of the jaws are useful characters in 

 identification. Just inside the sharp jaw edges are horny plates. These are 

 ridged in some species and flat in others. Feet are also important in identifica- 

 tion of turtles. Some are webbed in varying degrees, some are short-toed, 

 some have long claws, especially in the males. Color patterns are rather variable 

 on carapace and plastron, but fairly constant on the head and neck. Many 



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