REPTILES 251 



C.mydas{L.). Green turtle. Body olive or brown above, marked 

 with yellow, and yellow beneath; length of carapace 1,200 mm. or less; 

 weight up to 500 lbs.; i claw on each foot: tropical seas; Atlantic 

 Ocean as far north as Massachusetts; valued for food, the fat being 

 green; common. 



3. Caretta Rafinesque. Top of head with a large median plate 

 surrounded by 13 to 20 smaller ones; costal plates 5 on a side; 15 to 20 

 plates on each cheek; head broad: 3 species. 



C. caretta (L.). Loggerhead turtle. Body brown above, yellowish 

 below; feet with 2 claws each; length of carapace i m. and more; weight 

 350 lbs. and more: tropical seas; northward as far as Massachusetts; 

 common on the West India and Florida coasts; flesh and eggs used for 

 food. 



C. kempi (Garman). Bastard turtle. Similar to C. caretta, but 

 with ridges on the crushing surfaces of the jaws under the horny sheaths: 

 south Atlantic; as far north as New Jersey. 



Family 6. Dermochelidae. — Sea turtles with the body covered 

 with a smooth leathery skin; carapace with 7 longitudinal ridges; toes 

 without claws: i genus. 



Dermochelys Blainville. With the characters of the family: 

 I species. 



D. coriacea (L.). Leather-turtle; trunk-back. Color dark brown; 

 length of carapace 1,500 mm. ; width 900 mm. ; weight 700 lbs. and more: 

 tropical seas; northward as far as Maine. 



