THE LIVING WORLD. 
225 
family in haying an envelope of skin, or a carapax, as before mentioned, some- 
thing like stiff leather. Along the back are seven prominent ridges having 
slightly serrated 
edges. The jaws 
are powerful and 
notched, to give 
them the cutting 
and tearing power 
of teeth, while both 
upper and lower 
bill are hooked. 
The fore flippers 
are of great size 
and strength as 
compared with 
those of the pos¬ 
terior, in which 
respect the crea¬ 
ture bears some 
analogy to the 
seal. Some few 
have been seen 
that were dark 
brown, flecked with 
spots of yellow on 
the back, and skin 
speckled with dull 
dots of white and 
black. Itsextreme MORASS (B lutaria) 
weight is thought 
to be eighteen hundred pounds, but only a single specimen has been found 
of such great weight. 
The Greek Turtle frequents the coast of Morocco, and is pretty generally 
distributed throughout the Mediterra¬ 
nean. It is also a very large species, 
occasionally reaching a weight of three 
hundred pounds. The shell is irregular 
in shape, with raised scales, and bears 
a resemblance to the carapax of the tor¬ 
toise. Its flesh is considered almost 
equal to that of the green turtle, and 
is sold not only everywhere in Morocco, 
but also in Spain, France, Italy, and all 
the countries of the Levant. The lip 
turtle is fouud in the streams of South 
America. It is rather small in size, and, 
being unpalatable, has nothing to recom¬ 
mend it beyond the curious snout with which it is provided, as shown in the 
accompanying engraving, and from which characteristic the name is derived. 
i5 
lip turtle (Trionyx ferox\ 
