Aquatic JLite 



129 



Guinas, Brazil, Mexico and Central 

 America. As a result of such examina- 

 tions, it can be shown that the external 

 characters presented upon the part of 

 these musk turtles exhibit but very slight 

 differences in the various species most 

 nearly affined to each other. As a matter 

 of fact, so close is the approach of one 

 species to another in several instances that 

 to scientifically distinguish the forms 

 compared is by no means always an easy 

 matter. Up to the present time the mat- 

 ter of color, of the form of the shields 

 of the plastron, and of the head markings 

 have chiefly been employed for specific 

 distinction ; but these appear to have 

 been of no avail in many instances, and 

 what is really needed in the premises is a 

 far more extensive series of specimens 

 from the entire range of the two genera, 

 and a very careful review of characters 

 and morphology of the representatives of 

 the entire group. 



Turtles of this family are entirely 

 aquatic by nature, and are inhabitants of 

 swampy localities in the neighborhood of 

 sluggish, muddy streams, in which they 

 are perfectly at home. Their form and 

 brown colors tend largely to protect them, 

 as they are not easily observed in such 

 places. Very young specimens, and even 

 some of the adults, often have a growth 

 of green moss on their backs, and this 

 circumstance still further enhances their 

 chance of being taken for some stone on 

 the bottom, of similar size and shape as 

 the turtle, with such a growth upon it. 



When caught, Musk Turtles promptly 

 snap at anything within their reach, being 

 as vicious and vindictive in such respects 

 as any true snapping turtle {Chelydra) 

 that ever lived. Indeed, there is some- 

 thing about them that reminds one of a 

 true snapper. 



When excited and handled, they give 

 forth a powerful musky odor, which is 

 responsible for the vernacular name that 



has been bestowed upon all members of 

 the family. This odor is peculiar, and I 

 know of nothing which exactly resembles 

 it in nature outside of the chelonian 

 order. Sometimes an old snapper will 

 have a faint smell about him that is gen- 

 erally recognized with promptness by the 

 naturalist who studies living specimens 

 of them. 



As most fishermen will tell you, musk 

 turtles are great fellows to get after 

 baited hooks in the water, while the fish- 

 erman is angling in streams where these 

 turtles live. If hooked, they cramble 

 about in all directions, and with such 

 forceful determination to free them- 

 selves that the gentleman of the rod is 

 frequently — prior to exposing the victim 

 ■ — led to believe that he has hooked the 

 prize fish of the entire season. Some by 

 no means polite language usually follows 

 upon the luckless turtle being pulled into 

 sight at the surface of the muddy water 

 of his otherwise peaceful home. 



In Figure 4 of the present article we 

 have the reproduction of a photograph 

 of mine of an adult male specimen of the 

 Common Musk Turtle {A. odoratus), 

 which I had in my possession for several 

 months; the stripes -on the side of the 

 head are well shown. Upon the other 

 hand, a fine front view is given of an 

 adult example of the Common Mud Tur- 

 tle (C. pennsyhanicum) , which is also 

 from one of my photographs, the animal 

 having been loaned me by Mr. Edward 

 S. Schmid, of Washington. Much is yet 

 to be learned about these abundant forms 

 of our common turtles, especially with 

 respect to their breeding habits, their eggs, 

 their young, their structure, and their 

 exact ranges. Such point will be touched 

 upon in the next following part of the 

 present series, where additional figures of 

 them will be presented. 



Contented men — aquarists. 



