TURTLES AND BATRACHIANS OF THE LAKE REGION. 473 



1. Platypeltis spinifer (Le Sueur.) 

 Soft-Shelled Turtle. 



Compared with the other turtles of the lake, the Soft-shell has a rather 

 northern distribution. It ranges from Canada southward to Kentucky and 

 westward to Minnesota. It is ver3^ abundant in the upper Mississippi and its 

 tributaries, great numbers being frequently seen on or about the sandbars 

 which furnish them basking and nesting places. It is rather a river than a 

 pond turtle, and rarely or never ventures into small isolated ponds. 



At Lake Maxmkuekee it is very abundant, much more so than would 

 appear to the casual observer, as it is one of the shyest and most wary of 

 turtles, quickly taking alarm and disappearing whenever it is approached. 

 It is found everywhere in the lake. Its pointed, shapely head is often seen 

 sticking up above the surface even over the deeper waters of the lake. Ex- 

 amples of all sizes have been taken from almost every part of the lake shore. 

 It seems to be more common in the region of Norris Inlet, probably because 

 that is the most sequestered part of the lake, where it is less likely to be dis- 

 turbed than elsewhere. 



The Soft-shelled Turtle is the last turtle to mak6 its appearance in the 

 spring, and the first to disappear in the fall. Very small ones, benumbed or 

 dead, may often be seen along shore late in the autumn and early in the 

 spring before the older ones appear. These have probablj- been unable to 

 take care of themselves. Very small ones have been found in the spring as 

 early as March 18, but no large ones were seen until April 29, and then they 

 were very scarce. It is not until May or June that they appear in abundance. 

 None has been seen in the winter, and it was a problem where they spend 

 that part of the year, until in the autumn of 1906 (Sept. 6) an example 5 inches 

 long was found buried up to the eyes in mud at the edge of Lost Lake. It 

 is probable that all of them bury themselves in the mud in the bottom of the 

 lake. As none was seen moving under the ice, it is thought that they spend 

 the winter in a quiescent state. The last one seen swimming about was noted 

 in Lost Lake, Sept. 7, 1906. 



This turtle is fond of basking during the hotter portions of the year. At 

 this lake it generally prefers sandy or grassy bits of shore and is not often seen 

 on stakes, or boards. One of its favorite haunts was the sandy stretch of 

 shore near Farrar's. They also basked in numbers at the edges of small 

 pools in the Inlet marsh. Before the shore was cleared off, they used to bask 

 in great numbers along the south shore of Outlet Bay. On June 11 many of 

 these, with other species, were seen basking at this place and when a rush 

 was made at them from a boat they scattered in every direction, many of 

 them hiding under a large dense floating mass of algae which was along the 

 shore at that place. The Soft-shells that took refuge under the algae thrust 

 up their heads now and then to see what was going on. Several were caught. 

 Even when stationary they are hard to catch and hold by hand; the tail is 



