146 FIELD AND FOREST. 



Notes on the Tenacity of Life in the Chelydra Serpetina. 



Being desirous of a skeleton of the Chelydra serperitina for class use, 

 I commenced operations to fit up the object of my desire Friday, Oc- 

 tober 27, 1876. The specimen from which I decided to prepare the 

 skeleton was small. The antero-posterior measurement of the carapax, 

 I find, is only seven and a half inches. The animal seemed to be in 

 good condition and was excessively pugnacious. 



To dispatch the animal I concluded upon strangulation. Accord- 

 ingly at 9 A. M. a twine ligature was applied to her neck at about the 

 middle of the fourth cervical vertebra. This was drawn so tighly that 

 it entirely prevented either an egress or an ingress of air to the lungs. 

 The reptile was then left alone in the laboratory. At 4 P. M. I 

 found her alive. The hyoidean apparatus was plying very laboriously. 

 Each attempt to force the air into the lungs proved abortive, and as 

 it escaped through the constructed nostrils a whistling sound was pro- 

 duced, readily audible in an 'adjoining room. Upon examining the 

 creature I found that her senses were not much blunted; and that she 

 had yet no small stock of pugnacity. Although I wished to com- 

 mence dissecting the brute that evening I concluded to leave her 

 alone with her ligature until the morrow. 



At 8 A. M. of Saturday the hyoidean apparatus was still plying 

 about as rapidly and as forcibly as it was sixteen hours before. Her 

 pugnacious disposition was not much subdued and she seemed still 

 quite strong of limb. 



Impatient at so tardy a process of death, I severed the head at the 

 articulation of the third with the fourth cervical vertebra. At 8 A. M. 

 on Monday, October 30th, I had cleaned the head and the detached 

 cervical vertebra, and returned to my subject for more material to 

 dissect. I was surprised to see the animal wince so quickly upon the 

 application of the knife. The plastron was now removed, and the 

 heart and intestines exposed and examined. The heart was still beat- 

 ing, and vermicular movement of the bowels was very strong. The 

 lungs were collapsed. I now removed the right arm, in order that I 

 might proceed with my preparation. At 8 A. M. on Tuesday I again 

 returned for dissecting material. Upon seizing the remaining left 

 hand for the purpose of drawing it up, in order that I might the more 



