318 FLORIDA REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS—LOENNBERG. vol. xvii. 



numbers with nets, harpoons, pegs, etc., in the water, as well as on the 

 beach when laying their eggs, the eggs being secured at the same time. 

 The meat is sold at 10 cents a pound, and a good many are shipped 

 North alive from the Key West market. The largest specimens reach 

 a weight of 800 pounds. 



ERETHMOCHELVS IMBRICATA ( L i n n a; u s ). 



The hawksbill turtle is caught at Key West, where I have seen some. 

 It is not common, and very high in price on account of the shell. It is 

 said to reach a weight of 150 to 200 pounds, but specimens of that size 

 are very scarce. 



THALASSOCHELYS CARETTA (L i n n ie u s ). 



The loggerhead turtle is common all round the coast of south 

 Florida, especially among the Keys. It is used for food in some 

 places, for instance at Key West, although not so palatable as the 

 green turtle, and the eggs are eaten whenever they can be found. 

 The eggs are laid in May and June. During the latter mouth I found 

 them on the Corouado beach at New Smyrna. Although the animals 

 themselves are not always caught, the custom of taking their eggs is 

 as destructive in the long run, and they are going to be exterminated 

 on the coast of Florida sooner pr later. They do not grow larger than 

 300 pounds. 



DEIROCHELY.S RETICULARIA (L a t r e i 1 1 e ). 



This species is not common so far as I know. I have only seen 2 

 specimens in south Florida, both of which were caught at Clarcona, 

 Orange County, by C. O. Allen, who generously presented one of them 

 to me. 



PSEUDEMYS RUBRI VENTRIS (L e c o n t e). 



The red-bellied terrapin, or cooter, is not so common in south Flor- 

 ida as Pseudemys conclnna., but I have seen it in several localities, viz, 

 in the St. Johns River; at Clay Springs, Orange County; Silver Springs, 

 Marion County, etc. It is to be found not only in the rivers, but I have 

 caught it with the seine in small lakes in the neighborhood of Apopka, 

 and have likewise received from Mr. C. C. Allen a specimen from Clar- 

 cona, Orange County. The plastron is sometimes uniform red ; some- 

 times marbled with black. 



PSEUDEMYS CONCINNA (Leconte). 



This is the common cooter of Florida, in which countrj?^ it is abun-. 

 dant in all lakes and rivers. They are very often seen in great numbers 

 basking on old logs in the water, even in the middle of the winter. 

 They feed on vegetable matter. The meat is white and very palatable. 



