The Sea Turtles 



The Family Sphargida. — Composed of a single genus and 

 one species — the largest of the chclonians, which attains a weight 

 of 1,000 pounds. 



THE LEATHERBACK TURTLE; TRUNK TURTLE; 

 HARP TURTLE; LUTH 

 Sphargis coriacea, (Linn.) 



Told from the other sea turtles taken off our coasts, by the 

 heavy, ridge-like processes, seven in number, running lengthwise 

 on the carapace. Instead of the horny shields usually present 

 on turtles, the carapace is covered with a leathery integument; 

 on large individuals, this soft covering is full\' an inch in thick- 

 ness and saturated with oil, like whale blubber. The front 

 flippers are enormous; like the rear pair and the head, they 

 lack the coarse plates of the other marine turtles. 



Colouration. — Dark brown, generally uniform, but some- 

 times spotted with yellow. Very large individuals are often 

 blackish. 



Dimensions. — The Leather-back Turtle is the largest of 

 living chelonians. Following are the measurements of a fine 

 example received at the American Museum of Natural History; 

 it was harpooned, while floundering, in a benumbed condition, 

 off the beach of New London, Connecticut: 



Total length, snout to end of tail 6 feet 



Length of Carapace 5 " i inch 



Width of Carapace 3 " i " 



Width of Front Flipper 1 "2 " 



Stretch of Front Flippers, tip to tip 9 



Diameter of Head 10 " 



Weight 715 pounds. 



Distribution. — Generally distributed in tropical and semi- 

 tropical seas, but nowhere common; an accidental wanderer 

 to the temperate coasts. 



Habits. — Approaching the beaches only to deposit its eggs, 

 this sea giant does not seem to differ in its habits from the other 

 marine turtles. It apparently subsists upon sea-weeds, crus- 

 taceans, molluscs, and fishes — if it is able to catch the latter. 

 Agassiz explains that it breeds every year, in the spring, on 

 the Tortugas, the Bahamas and along the Brazilian coast. In 



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