REPTILES OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK CITY 123 



Descriptive List of the Turtles. 



The Leather-back Turtle, or Trunk Turtle, Dermochclys 



coriacea (Figs. 21, 22 and 23), is easily distinguished from the two 



other species of sea turtles occasionally taken off our 



coasts, by the heavy, ridge-like processes, seven in Leather- 

 ' -^ . , -^ \ . ^ , ^ ' ., , back Turtle. 



number, running lengthwise on the carapace. Instead 



of the horny plates usually present on turtles, the carapace and 



plastron of this species are covered with a leathery integument. 



The Leather-back Turtle attains a large size. In warmer waters 



specimens are occasionally captured which exceed seven feet in 



length. The general color is dark brown, although there is 



sometimes a sprinkling of yellow. Like the other sea turtles 



this species never comes to the shore, except for the purpose of 



depositing eggs. Its flesh is of no value for food purposes. The 



reptile feeds upon fishes, Crustacea, mollusks and seaweeds. 



Range: Tropical seas. 



Local distribution: Occasionally off the Atlantic coast of the 

 Middle Atlantic and New England States, where its presence is 

 accidental. 



The Loggerhead Turtle, Thalassochelys caretta (Figs. 24 and 

 25), might possibly be confounded with the Green Turtle, owing 

 to a similarity of the shells of these species. Certain 

 characters, however, make determination compara- °^^J^ ^^ 

 tively simple. The head of the Loggerhead is very 

 large in proportion to the reptile's size ; the flippers are generally 

 provided with two nails, while the shell is dark brown, some- 

 times marked with a lighter brown. The colors of the Green 

 Turtle are much lighter; the head of medium size; there is 

 generally one nail on each flipper. Both of these species have 

 shells covered with smooth shields. The flesh of the Loggerhead 

 is little cared for. It does not deposit eggs in temperate regions. 

 This species attains a length of six feet. 



Range: Tropical and semi-tropical seas. 



Local distribution: An accidental visitor off the Atlantic 

 coast. 



