134 Turtle Traits [SECOND WEEK 



There are altogether about two hundred different kinds 

 of turtles, and they live in all except the very cold countries 

 of the world. Australia has the fewest and North and 

 Central America the greatest number of species. Evolu- 

 tionists can tell us little or nothing of the origin of these 

 creatures, for as far back in geological ages as they are 

 found fossil (a matter of a little over ten million years), 

 all are true turtles, not half turtles and half something 

 else. Crocodiles and alligators, with their hard leathery 

 coats, come as near to them as do any living creatures, 

 and when we see a huge snapping turtle come out of the 

 water and walk about on land, we cannot fail to be re- 

 minded of the fellow with the armoured back. 



Turtles are found on the sea and on land, the marine 

 forms more properly deserving the name of turtles; tor- 

 toises being those living on land or in fresh water. We 

 shall use the name turtle as significant of the whole group. 

 The most natural method of classifying these creatures is 

 by the way the head and neck are drawn back under the 

 shell; whether the head is turned to one side, or drawn 

 straight back, bending the neck into the letter S shape. 



The skull of a turtle is massive, and some have thick, 

 false roofs on top of the usual brain box. 



The " house " or shell of a turtle is made up of separate 

 pieces of bone, a central row along the back and others 

 arranged around on both sides. ^These are really pieces 

 of the skin of the back changed to bone. Our ribs are 

 directly under the skin of the back, and if this skin should 

 harden into a bone-like substance, the ribs would lie flat 

 against it, and this is the case with the ribs of turtles. 



