131 



lir'aU-s of such species as may Ik- ritlicr captured or I'ouimI dead. Tin? 

 Snapper is a scavenger and \\ill often eat dead material. This may 

 account for some of the unexpected food elemenls discovered. 



It is well known that the Snapping Turtle is an enemy to young 

 ducks and frequ<'ntly pulls down these fowls a« they swim on the 

 water in wliich the reptiles live. It is also known that it feeds 

 readily upon nfuse of various kinds, as it is customary in many 

 parts of the count ly to capture it and put it in a swill barrel, where 

 it i.s kept to fatten upon tlie refuse from the table until such time aa 

 it is considered til meat for the table. 



We have found very young Snai»ping Turtles feeding upon insects 

 especially beetles, and also upon small fishes, especially suckers, and 

 upon craytish or so-called fresh water crabs, and snails. These were 

 very small sjteciniens. beintj^ iiol over five centimeters or two inches 

 in length. 



Other authors have mentioned the food of the Snapi)ing Turtle 

 as follows: 



''Any live thing it can overpower; fish and waterfowl." — Nash. 



"Feeds largely on fish, at times apparently under water." — Fowler. 



"Feeds on fish, reptiles or any animal substance," — Holbrook. 



"'\Vholly carnivorous, eats fish, frogs, waterfowl, crayfishes. Ac- 

 cused of capturing young ducks. Found a robin in one's stomach." 

 —Hay. 



"Fish and waterfowl." — Cuvier. 



"Fish, ducklings." — Shaw. 



"Fish." — LeConte. 



"Fish, young waterfowl, always ftH'ds under water." — Ditraars. 



A labuhilion of the materials definitely found in the stomachs of 

 Snaj>ping Tnitles by other observers or writers is given in the fol- 

 lowing list: 



Crayfish (ETay). Fish (ITolbrook. Ilay, Cuvier, Shaw, Ditmars. Le- 

 Conte), Frog (Hay), Kcptiles dlolbrooU). Waterfowl (Hay. Cnvier, 

 Ditmars). K'obin (TTny). Voini^ Ducks (Day. Shaw). 



\'arious writers gi\e interesting points concerning the feeding 

 habits of tlie Snapping Turtle, as follows: 



''Destroy young ducks and fish, often attacking th<Mr own species." 

 — Cnvier. 



''Extremely voracious, feeding on fish, reptiles or any other animal 

 substance that falls their way." — Holbrook. 



