36 REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



to August, will eventually result in the destruction of the 

 fisheries. 



In the Philippine Islands, it is satisfactory to learn 

 that the method of removing the tortoise-shell from 

 the animal's back, described by Tennent, is not resorted 

 to, the shell in most of the islands being removed after 

 the turtle has been killed, by immersing the carapace in 

 boiling water until the shields loosen ; another method is 

 to bury the body in the sand for about a week, when the 

 shields become detached. The quantities of tortoise- 

 shell obtained from a single adult specimen varies in 

 weight from five to ten pounds. 



The Loggerhead Turtle, Thalassochelys caretta, is 

 characterized by an enormous head. The carapace, which 

 is very strongly arched, is uniform dark brown or black. 

 The lower jaw is slightly hooked. Its range is even wider 

 than that of either the Green or Hawksbill Turtles, being 

 found much further north, and is, in fact, not uncommon 

 in the Mediterranean and neighbouring parts of the 

 Atlantic. It is of little value from a commercial point 

 of view, its flesh, although not absolutely inedible being 

 far inferior to that of the Green Turtle. 



Although in fresh-water aquaria all these marine forms 

 refuse to feed, and die of starvation in a very short time, 

 they will live for many years under captive conditions if 

 provided with sea-water, even in quite small tanks. 



Super-family Pleurodira : — In these Chelonians, all 

 more or less aquatic forms, the neck, when retracted, bends 

 sideways. 



In the family Pelomedusid^ the neck is completely 



