326 ORDERS OF REPTILES— 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- 
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 down 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'tus. 
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 . 
