TURTLES AND TORTOISES 7 



forms that have, decades since, jomed the army of fos- 

 sils. 



Inhabiting tropical and semi-tropical seas of both 

 hemispheres, attaining a length of shell of four feet, 

 or a total length from snout to the tip of tail, of over 

 six feet, this sea giant reaches a weight of a thousand 

 pounds. On a large example, the powerful forelimbs 

 have a stretch of ten feet and, in spite of the creature's 

 great weight, carry it through the water in a graceful 

 fashion that recalls the flight of a hawk. In the New 

 World, it is sometimes lured northward in the fickle 

 current of the Gulf Stream, when, coming in contact 

 with colder waters, it flounders aimlessly and is either 

 harpooned by fishermen, or battered to death and cast 

 on the beaches of Long Island or Massachusetts during 

 the northeast storms. 



The Leatheiy Turtle never comes to the shore except 

 to deposit its eggs. The food consists of moUusks and 

 sea-weeds. Its flesh is of no market value. 



Suborder Thecophora: The second suborder of the 

 chelonians is separated from the preceding one — AtJiecce 

 —owing to the rigid attachment of the vertebrse and ribs 

 to the bony plates composing the carapace. With the 

 exception of the Leathery Turtle, all of the chelonians 

 are embraced within this second suborder. 



Superfamily Cryptodira: The technical definition of 

 this group relates partly to the method of bending the 

 neck when the head is drawn back, and in certain osteo- 

 logical characters. 



When the head is retracted the neck bends in an 

 S-shaped, vertical curve.' The pelvis is not fused to 

 the shell. Carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower 

 shell) are coated with horny shields. 



1 If not actually, at least within a decided vertical plane. 



