4 
NATURE STUDY. 
Turtles of New Hampshire. 
BY WILLIAM H. HUSE. 
Turtles are not the least interesting of reptiles. They show 
their relationship to the rest of the class reptilia by their ovipar¬ 
ous origin, cold blood and structure, but differ from all other 
reptiles by the peculiar development of the ribs and sternum 
into two shields which are covered by an ossification of the 
skin, thus making an armor which more or less completely pro¬ 
tects them from their enemies. The upper shield is called the 
carapace; the lower one, the plastron. These are the most 
prominent features of a turtle’s anatomy and are the means of 
most readily identifying a species. 
New Hampshire contains six species of land and fresh water 
turtles. The largest is Chelydra serpentina or snapping turtle. 
This is also locally called black turtle and mud turtle, which 
latter name is also given by the unthinking to all fresh water 
turtles. It attains a length of two feet or more, some speci¬ 
mens being reputed of a size and strength sufficient to carry a 
man upon the back. The carapace is of a dull brownish black 
color, frequently covered with moss, showing less activity than 
the proverbial stone. Sometimes a row of projections on the 
back shows the inability of the carapace to wholly conceal the 
spine, the presence of which is also indicated by a row of pro¬ 
tuberances along the tail. The plastron is small compared 
with the carapace and is of a yellowish color. The skin of the 
neck is rough and warty. The English name is given it because 
of its habit of snapping at every living thing large and small 
that interferes with it. It is rarely seen on land except when 
the female comes out to deposit her eggs in the sand. These 
are spherical and have hard shells. The flesh is eaten and is 
much esteemed. 
The smallest of our turtles is Aromochelys odoratus or musk 
turtle, so called because of the odor of musk which it emits at 
times. The maximum length is about six inches ; the color of 
