50 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



comes faintly-defined at maturity; a fully-grown shell 

 is a foot long. Proportionately large, with a short, 

 conical snout, the head is a powerful biting organ. Up- 

 per and lower shells are uniform black or dingy brown; 

 the head is paler, with numerous black streaks or dots. 



For the past four years, one of these turtles has lived 

 in the reptile house of the New York Zoological Park. 

 During that time the writer has never observed it out 

 of the water. It lurks under the shadow of a log. 

 When pieces of fish or meat are dropped into the water 

 they are snapped up with a rapidity that makes the 

 morsels disappear as if by magic. Paddling to the 

 surface at frequent intervals the turtle pokes the tip 

 of the snout out of the water; a slight movement or a 

 vibration sends it scurrying back to the dark lair. 



Pelomedusa contains a single species generally dis- 

 tributed throughout Africa, south of the desert region; 

 it also occurs in Madagascar. Like the species of the 

 preceding genus, it is somber in coloration. The plas- 

 tron is not hinged. 



Third and last of the genera composing the Pelome- 

 dusidce is Podocnemis; six species inhabit South Amer- 

 ica; one is found in Madagascar. They are giants 

 among the fresh-water turtles ; one of the South Amer- 

 ican species grows a shell nearly a yard long. Through- 

 out tropical South America, east of the Andes, these 

 big turtles are common, though their numbers have been 

 considerably reduced in many areas by the systematic 

 hunt for their eggs. The eggs yield a valuable oil. 

 Necessarily associated with the great river systems, the 

 habitat embraces the Orinoco, the Amazon and their 

 tributaries. Instead of inhabiting the actual water- 

 ways the turtles dwell principally in great pools in the 



