52 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



conformation are series of flat and projecting fleshy 

 filaments, mostly scalloped, besides studded with small 

 tubercles; some of the filaments are voluntarily mov- 

 able; the thinner ones sway with a slight agitation of 

 the water. A full-grown Matamata with a shell 

 eighteen inches long appeals to the human mind more 

 like a vision of a disordered dream than a living reptile. 

 The species inhabits the rivers of tropical Brazil and 

 the Guianas. Strictly aquatic and alleged to employ 

 the movable filaments to attract the prey, it probably 

 feeds largely upon fishes. 



Almost as curious are the species of Hydromedusa, 

 two in number, inhabiting tropical South America. 

 The South American Snake-Necked Turtle, H. 

 maximiliani, has a shell seven inches long and a snake- 

 like neck and head slightly longer than the shell. The 

 head is flattened, with eyes placed well forward. If the 

 creature emerges from the water to sun on a log the 

 effect is not that of a turtle, but of a very flat round 

 stone with an ugly-looking, blackish snake reared from 

 beneath it. In the writer's collection were four snake- 

 necked turtles that lived for a number of years. For 

 the first few weeks in captivity they were very shy, 

 merely poking their snouts out of the water for air and 

 scurrying to a dark corner of the tank at the least 

 disturbance. Shyness was at last overcome by appetite. 

 They began feeding greedily upon earthworms, pieces 

 of fish and raw beef. If minnows were placed in the 

 tank the turtles chased the fish with considerable agility, 

 never stopping until the last fish was gone. After a 

 couple of months they would take food from the writer's 

 fingers, coming from their tank, through the door of 

 their cage and following him about the laboratory if 

 the morsel was held a short distance from their snouts. 



