108 REPTILIAN WATER TRESPASSERS. 



asunder any ordinary line, but the creature has a way 

 of bringing its fore feet to bear upon it, and snapping 

 it by main force, which, as it sometimes reaches three 

 feet in length, it is certain to do with any ordinary 

 line. 



Like most of its kind, the Alligator Terrapin is 

 valued for the table, and is kept alive to be sold in the 

 market. The popular name of alligator is given to it 

 because in America all the crocodiles are called alli- 

 gators, and the reptile certainly does look very much 

 like a small crocodile with the shell of a tortoise upon 

 its back. 



Nearly in the middle of the illustration, and just 

 above the Alligator Terrapin, is shown the Australian 

 river tortoise, called the Chelodine. There are many 

 chelodines, but this has been selected as an example 

 of an Australian water trespasser, belonging to the 

 great group of tortoises. Its scientific name is Chelo- 

 dina longicollis. The latter of these names signifies 

 " long-necked," and is given to the animal because its 

 neck is very long, thin, and flexible. For the same 

 reason, the popular name of snake tortoise has some- 

 times been given to it. 



It is also called the yellow chelodine, in conse- 

 quence of the colour of the horny plates or shields, 

 which are yellow in the centre and black on the edges. 

 It is rather remarkable, by the way, that although the 

 shields of the hawksbill turtle retain their richness of 

 colour as long as the material itself exists, the shields 

 of many other chelodines becomes dull and dark soon 

 after death. 



This contrast is well shown in the shield of the 



