TEREAPINS. 107 



like,, is applied to the reptile on account of its long, 

 snake-like neck. 



As may be seen by reference to the illustration, 

 the shell does not entirely envelope the body, as is the 

 case with most of the tortoises, but merely forms a 

 shield on the back, the whole of the legs being visible 

 outside it, and the neck not able to be concealed within 

 it, as is the case with the terrestrial tortoises. The 

 animal is a tolerably good walker, and travels farther 

 from the water than is generally usual among the 

 aquatic tortoises. Still, it is not as much at home on 

 land as in the water, and its gait ashore is as awkward 

 and ungainly, compared with its easy gliding through 

 the water, as the almost ludicrous waddle of a swan on 

 land, compared with its proverbially graceful move- 

 ments afloat. 



It is one of the predacious tortoises, making much 

 havoc among fish of various kinds, and especially 

 delighting in eels, which it can capture in spite of 

 their agile nature and slippery bodies, by the grasp of 

 its strong jaws, which very much resemble the beak 

 of a falcon. Indeed, should the struggles of the fish 

 be very violent, the Alligator Terrapin would not have 

 very much difficulty in shearing it asunder with a 

 single bite. 



It is easily kept in captivity, feeding readily on all 

 kinds of butcher's offal, and, as it seems to be always 

 hungry, it is often captured with the hook. Terrapin 

 fishing is thought to afford very good sport. The line 

 is a very strong one, and for a few yards from the hook 

 is covered with wire, like the " gimp " used in pike 

 fishing. For not only would the sharp jaws shear 



