Mert ES “AN D- @WERFES:. 

{Under this Department Heading queries relative to all branches of Natural History will be answered. ] 
THE GREAT TURTLE OF AUSTRALIA. 
An Australian lady sends to Land and 
Water, from Queensland, a description of a 
monster turtle and an outline drawing of it, 
both of which we append : 
““We have had a visit from a monster turtle 
fish. I senda sketch of it. It let me stand for 
half an hour within five feet of it. When tired 
of my looking at it, it put its long neck and 
head into the water and swept around seaward, 
raising its huge dome-shaped body about five 
feet out of water, and put its twelve feet of fish- 
like tail over the dry shore, elevating it at an 
Neck and head, 6 ft. out 
of water. 
Taw, 18 in. 

Color, greenish white ; large, round, white 
spots; thick cord of chalk white round 
very black eye and round both jaws. 
angle. Then, giving its tail a half twist, it 
shot off like a flash of lightning, and I saw its 
tail in the air about a quarter of a mile off, 
where the steamers anchor. It has either teeth 
or serrated jaw-bones. Native blacks call it 
‘Moka, moka,’ and say they like to eat it, and 
that it has legs and fingers. I did not see its 
legs, as they were in the water. What I saw 
of it was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight 
feet, but I think it must be thirty feet in all. 
Whilst its head was out of the water it kept its 
mouth open, and, as I could not see any nos- 
trils, I fancy it breathes through its mouth. 
The jaws are about eighteen inches in length; 
the head and neck greenish white, with large 
white spots on the neck, and a band of white 
Domed-shaped body, 8 ft. across, slate 
gray, smooth, a 
round a very black eye and round upper and 
lower jaw. The body was dome-shaped, about 
eight feet across and five feet high, smooth and 
slate gray in color. Tail about twelve feet, 
the fish part wedge-shaped and fin of chocolate 
brown ; then beautiful sides shading to white ; 
scales size of thumb nail.” 
To which the editor responds : 
‘In the opinion of the authorities this turtle 
is the Carettochelys, a monster turtle known 
to exist at the mouth of the Fly River, New 
Guinea, which has a very long neck. The mu- 
seum at Sydney possesses the only known pre- 
This part of tail 
ut 5 ft. high. about 2 ft. plated. 
Tail, about 12 ft. ; fish point of tail wedge 
shape and fin of a chocolate brown ; 
then beautiful sides shading to white; 
scales size of thumb nails. 
served specimen, and that is a dry one. The 
length and shape of the tail, as described, are, 
however, impossible, as no turtles have caudal 
appendages corresponding to the description, 
and the fair observer must have been mistaken 
on this very important point. Neither have 
turtles teeth, though the other points would 
correspond to the Carettochelys. We may 
add that the authorities at South Kensington 
are most anxious to obtain a specimen of the 
Carettochclys, and have offered a very hand- 
some sum for a specimen, or even a part ot 
one, which may lead to its further identifica- 
tion. The question is undoubtedly of interest 
to lovers of natural history.” 

