TURTLES AND TORTOISES 53 



During such operations, the small silvery eyes looked 

 very sharp and cunning ; the sense of vision was actually 

 acute: for the instant the food was within reach, the 

 long neck — generally carried in a lateral, S -shaped loop 

 — straightened like a flash, there was a snap and the food 

 was seized. Then the reptile wandered about helplessly, 

 as it could not swallow the food unless in the water. 

 Placed in the tank the turtle swallowed the food at once, 

 then scrambled out after more. 



Very similar to the South American Snake-Necked 

 Turtles are the species of Chelodina, four in number, 

 inhabiting Australia and New Guinea. Of these the 

 Australian Snake-Necked Turtle, C. longicollis, 

 is a typical example. Above, the shell is dark brown 

 or blackish. The plastron is dark yellow; all of the 

 shields are margined with black. Like the New World 

 species, the animal appears, when resting, like a flat 

 stone sheltering all but the head and neck of a vicious- 

 looking snake. The eyes are intensely silvery-white 

 and staring; they might lead the student to suppose 

 that the animal had a hostile disposition. Such is not 

 the case: for the snake-neck turtle is among the most 

 inofTensive of chelonians. Those examples living in 

 the reptile house of the New York Zoological Park 

 seldom leave the tank unless to drag the shell to the 

 edge of a partially submerged log. Here they stretch 

 their long necks on a lookout for food, in the shape of 

 fish and raw beef. Under such conditions they have 

 lived for nearly five years. 



Last of the side-necked turtles is the family Caret- 

 tochelydidce, made up of a single genus and species — 

 Carettochelys insculpta, provided with flat, paddle- 

 shaped limbs like those of the sea turtles. The shell is 

 covered with a soft integument in place of the horny 



