From Ditmars’ REPTILE BOOK. 
MUSK TURTLES (Sternothems odoratus). Length: 3% inches. Range: Eastern 
United States. 
although kept there for weeks. They simply swam to the surface for air, a 
feat, however, which would exhaust most pond turtles and lead them to 
drown. 
Not only does the musk turtle annoy fishermen by eating young fish, 
but it also tenaciously grabs the hook as though the hook really contained a 
delicious meal for a turtle. It is a great swimmer and yanks the line so 
vigorously that the angler believes he has caught a whopper. Usually the 
fisherman is moderately angry when his eyes show him his catch, but when 
his nose picks up the musk turtle’s scent, he cuts the line quicker than if 
he were fishing in prohibited waters and saw the game warden coming. 
173 
