BATRACHIANS AND REPTILES OF ONTARIO. 17 



Genus AMYDA. 

 (*) (ig) Amyda mutica. 

 (Leather Turtle.) 

 Tills species has been recorded from Lake Erie and from thence west- 

 ward. It is considered very rare but may often be confounded with the 

 next. 



Genus ASPIDONECTES. 



(20) Aspldonectes spiniier. 



(Common Soft-shelled Turtle.) 



Generally ditributed in all marshy waters in western Ontario, though 

 not common anywhere. There is one record from the Ottawa River. The 

 creature is shy and difficult to observe, and so may occur more frequently 

 and over a greater area than is supposed. I have found it from our west- 

 ern boundary to the head of Lake Ontario, near Hamilton, but none east 

 of that. 



The flesh of this Turtle is considered a delicacy. 



Family CHELYDRID^. (Snapping Turtles.) 



Shell high in front, low behind ; body heaviest forward ; head and 

 neck large, the snout narrowed forward ; jaws strongly hooked and very, 

 powerful ; tail long, strong, with a crest of horny compressed tubercles ; 

 plastron small, cross shaped; claws strong; webs small. Aquatic, rarely 

 leaving the water except to deposit their eggs. 



Genus CHELYDRA. 



(21) Chelydra serpentina. 



(Snapping Turtle.) 



Common and generally distributed throughout the Province. This 

 is undoubtedly the most powerful, aggressive and voracious reptile we 

 have. It feeds upon any living thing it can overpower and is particularly 

 destructive to fish and young waterfowl. Many a brood of young ducks 

 find their way down the capacious gullets of these rapacious creatures. 

 They a'ttain a great size, specimens over two feet in length being not un- 

 common. Care is required in handling these Turtles, for even when com- 

 paratively small they will bite viciously and are capable of inflicting pain- 

 ful wounds. 



Their flesh is considered good and in some localities they are much 

 sought after for making into soup. 



Family KINOSTERNID^. (The Box Turtles.) 



Carapace rather long and narrow, the outline rising gradually from 

 the front to a point beyond the centre of the shell, then abruptly descend- 

 ing ; the bulk of the body therefore thrown backward ; margin of the cara- 

 pace turning downward and inward rather than outward ; head large with 



strong jaws, 

 o 



