150 



below the surface, with the snout and eyes only exposed. When dis- 

 turbed, they immediately go to the bottom, and conceal themselves there. 

 When traveling about they are often seen with a great amount of mud on 

 their backs as though they had been burrowing in the earth. The Snap- 

 ping-turtle is strong and courageous. When attacked they neither attempt 

 to retreat nor retire passively into their shells, as do most turtles. The 

 jaws are opened, the head and long neck are suddenly thrust out, and at 

 the same moment the animal leaps forward toward its tormentor. If the 

 aim has been correct, the jaws close on the enemy and the hold is dog- 

 gedly retained. It is a curious notion held by many people that, when 

 it has once secured a hold, it will not let loose until it has thundered. It 

 will sometimes permit itself to be carried around by a stick which it has 

 seized. 



The Snapping-turtle is wholly carnivorous and extremely voracious. 

 Their food consists of frogs, fishes, the smaller and younger water fowl,, 

 and crayfishes. They do not hesitate to eat any animal substance that pre- 

 sents itself. They have been accused of capturing young ducks. A large 

 specimen that I dissected had in its large intestine the feathers and par- 

 tially digested bones of a full grown robin. The wing and tail feathers 

 filled up the intestines. Its excrement contained the remains of a cray- 

 fish. I have been told that they will steal the sportsman's string of fish, 

 and use the forefoot in tearing off what they can not get into the mouth. 



The eggs are laid during the month of June, and hatch in the autumn. 

 They number from 30 to 70, and are deposited in holes excavated along 

 the banks of streams. Agassiz says that the hole is excavated at first 

 directly downv/ard and then laterally, so that the eggs are deposited on 

 one side of the mouth of the excavation. They are all deposited in one 

 hole. After the eggs are laid the female covers them up, smooths the 

 sand over them, and leaves them to their fate. The eggs are spherical, 

 about an inch in diameter, and provided with a calcareous shell. The 

 shell is not brittle, but somewhat less flexible than that of most tortoises. 

 Occasionally an elliptical egg is found. Agassiz is authority for the state- 

 ment that the young will snap before they have escaped naturally from 

 the egg. 



The flesh of the Snapping-turtle is often used for food, especially that 

 of the younger individuals. When they grow old their flesh is likely to 

 have a musky and disagreeable smell. Mr. True states that these turtles 

 are regularly seen every spring in the markets of Washington ready for 

 cooking. Storer wrote that in Massachusetts many persons saved the 

 oil of this animal and used it to heal bruises and sprains. As a therapeu- 

 tical agent it is worthy to stand alongside of goose oil, skunk oil, and rattle- 

 snake oil. 



