326 ORDERS OF EEPTILES— TORTOISES, TERRAPINS AND TURTLES 



found even in the large northern parks, where it 

 inhabits the well-shaded forests in situations as 

 remote as possible from the paths of men. The 

 moist valleys of the Zoological Park have yielded 

 many fine specimens to the Reptile House collec- 

 tions, where they live contentedly. The Caro- 

 lina Box Tortoise is found throughout the east- 

 ern United States from the Atlantic coast to the 

 Mississippi River, and in the South is called the 

 Pine-Barren "Terrapin." 



THE MUD-TERRAPIN FAMILY. 



Kinosternidae. 



The Family Kinosternidae was invented for 



the special accommodation of the box tortoises, 



with plastrons hinged across the middle; but in 



an unguarded moment the Mud-" Turtle," Musk- 





: ;n 



Ml-^I 





MUSK- TURTLE. 



"Turtle" and similar terrapins with fixed plas- 

 trons were included. To-day, oddly enough, 

 there is a decided inclination to leave the Box 

 Tortoise in the Tortoise Family — where they 

 belong, and leave the Musk-Turtle and his near- 

 est relatives in possession of the abandoned 

 order. But to the general student, all this is 

 of but momentary interest. 



The Musk-" Turtle," 1 or Stink-Pot, has 

 been loaded clown with names in two languages 

 which proclaim a smelly character. It is a com- 

 monplace little terrapin about six inches long, in- 

 habiting quiet ponds or sluggish streams, basking 

 in the sun when it is safe to linger above high- 

 water mark. Occasionally it so far forgets itself 

 as to swallow a worm-baited hook, and bring on 

 trouble of two or three kinds. Its regular food 

 1 Ar-o-mo-chel'ys o-dor-a'lus. 



is aquatic insects, minnows, fish-eggs, worms, 

 and in fact any fleshy creature slow enough to be 

 caught and small enough to be eaten. 



The Musk-" Turtle," or Terrapin, is possessed 

 of a very noticeable musky odor, which serves 

 better as a distinguishing character in the living 

 specimen than its very dull color and general com- 

 monplacedness of external appearance. Some- 

 times it shows a few spots; and the neck bears 

 two stripes, one starting above the eye, the other 

 below it. The plastron shows a slight tendency 

 toward a practicable hinge, but it is only a sug- 

 gestion, for the shell is practically rigid, and in- 

 capable of closing. This species, like all the 

 terrapins of the North, burrows into the mud of 

 pond-bottoms at the approach of winter weather, 

 and lies dormant, with the functions of Nature 

 suspended, until spring. It is found abundantly 

 in the eastern United States, and ranges west- 

 ward into Illinois. 



SMOOTH-SHELLED TERRAPINS. 



Emydidae. 



Numerous indeed is the company composing 

 the group of pond and river Chelonians, which 

 live half in and half out of the water. They 

 vary in size from the little musk-terrapin, no 

 larger than the palm of your hand, to the big 

 alligator-terrapin, of Louisiana, with a shell 23 

 inches long, and a gross weight of 115 pounds, or 

 more. There are many species that are valuable 

 as food, and one which is now accepted as the 

 symbol of epicurean luxury. As usual, only the 

 types of greatest importance and widest distribu- 

 tion will be mentioned here. 



If it were necessary to choose a single species 

 to represent the many species of North American 

 Terrapins, that choice might well fall upon the 

 Red-Bellied Terrapin, 2 or "Slider." This is 

 a species above the average size. The largest 

 specimen in our collection weighs 10 pounds, and 

 its shell is 13 inches long by 9 inches wide, axial 

 measurement. It is handsomely and plainly 

 marked by its back of umber brown, and reddish- 

 white under-surface. It is alert and active, its 

 distribution is wide, and its flesh is excellent. 

 When you go to a restaurant and order diamond- 

 backed terrapin, at a dollar a plate, you may know 

 to a certainty what you are eating and paying for. 

 2 Pseu'de-mys ru-bri-ven'tris. 



