240 



VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 



Chelone mydas, the green turtle, is the largest and best known species 

 of sea turtle, though the "hawksbill," Chelone imbricata (Fig. 134, B) 

 is a close rival in popularity. Thallasochelys, "the loggerhead turtle," 

 though it is of no commercial value on account of its rank flesh, is of 



FIG. 134. Group of Chelonia, II. A, Snake-necked Tortoise, Hydromedvsa 

 maximiliani; B, Soft-shelled Tortoise, Aspidonectes spinifer; C, Giant Land 

 Tortoise or Elephant Tortoise, Testudo elephaniina. D, The "Matamata," 

 Chelys fimbriata. (All redrawn, A and C after Lydekker, B and D, after Gadow.) 



considerable interest on account of the fact that it exhibits a remark- 

 able diversity of scute and plate number and arrangement. This is 

 probably an evidence of primitiveness, and may approach the an- 

 cestral condition. 



