THE SNAKE TORTOISE. 13 



America, and when full grown weighs from fifteen 

 to twenty pounds. 



The shield is oval, and somewhat depressed : the 

 middle pieces, which are thirteen in number, each 

 rise into a kind of obtuse point. The margin, near 

 the tail, is deeply serrated. The head is large, flat, 

 triangular, and covered with a warty skin. The 

 mouth is wide, and the mandibles are sharp. The 

 neck, though it appears short and thick when the 

 animal is at rest, is capable of being stretched out 

 to a third of the length of the shell. The toes are 

 connected by a web, and the claws are long and 

 stout. The tail is straight, and about two-thirds or. 

 the length of the shell. In its general colour this 

 species is of a dull chesnut brown, paler beneath 

 than above. 



It preys on fish, young vater-fowl, &c. which 

 it seizes with great force, at the same time stretch- 

 ing out its neck and hissing. Whatever it once 

 seizes in its mouth it holds so tenaciously^ that 

 it will suffer itself to be raised up- rather than quit 

 its hold. It lies concealed in muddy waters in 

 such a manner as to leave out only a part of its back, 

 appearing like a stone, or rough piece of wood 3 

 by which means it is enabled the more easily to 

 lay hold of such animals as unguardedly venture 

 near it, 



