Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. 229 



furnished above with three rows of low tubercles, below with rows of 

 smaller scales. 



Size. — Total length from end of beak to tip of tail 1525 mm.; length 

 of carapace 625 mm.; width of carapace 533 mm.; length of plastron 

 445 mm.; length of tail from vent 354 mm.; circumference of tail at 

 vent 265 mm.; length of head 229 mm.; circumference of head 635 mm.; 

 circumference around widest part of body 1245 mm. Weight 148 

 pounds or 67.5 kilos. 



Habitat. — Rivers and lagoons. All the rivers emptying 

 into the Gulf of Mexico from western Texas to western 

 Florida, northward to the "Sunken Lands" of Missouri. 

 Once common in the Mississippi River. Missouri locali- 

 ties: — Cottonwood Point, Caruthersville, Pemiscot Co., 

 and in Stoddard and Butler Counties. 



Habits. — Ditmars in his Reptile Book gives the follow- 

 ing very interesting account of this giant fresh-water 

 turtle. 



"Its pale brown hues well match the muddy waters it 

 inhabits. With its colors in perfect harmony, it lies mo- 

 tionless on the soft bottom, ready to seize, with lightning- 

 like dart the unsuspicious fish that comes its way. While 

 thus resting it is able to entice its prey by a remarkable 

 appendage attached to the inside of the lower jaw, close 

 to the region of the tongue. This is a well-developed 

 filament of flesh, white and distinct from the yellowish 

 mouth-parts and resembling a large grub to such a degree 

 of nicety that the popular-minded observer, seeing the ob- 

 ject in the reptile's mouth would declare it to be the larva 

 of some insect. More striking, however, is the reptile's 

 power to keep this appendage in motion, giving it the 

 aspect of crawling about in a small, circular course. 



"With the mud-colored shell lying close to the bottom, 

 the jaws thrown open to a great extent, this organ is put 

 in motion. Every other portion of the creature is as 

 motionless as a rock. In this position of rigidity the shell 

 looks like a great, round stone and blotches of fine, moving 

 moss intensify the deception; the big head looks like an- 



