Title: Cassell's natural history
Identifier: cassellsnaturalh03dunc (find matches)
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Duncan, P. Martin (Peter Martin), 1821-1891; Metcalf Collection (North Carolina State University). NCRS
Subjects: Animals; Animal behavior
Publisher: London (etc) Cassell & Company, Limited
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
254 NATURAL HISTORY. and the claws are sharp. The carapace and plastron are solidly joined, and the first has twelve shell- plates. There are two scales in the arm-pits and two in the region of the groin. Tliese little Emydes are killers and eaters of small fish, beetles, and other insects and worms, but they will occasionally eat bread and vegetables r and to their co.st, for when thus nourished they are occasionally made articles of food for man. They like stagnant water, and do not go far from the banks ; they hibernate in the winter, and dig down and bury themselves in the mud at that season. It is said that their eggs require a whole year to mcubate and hatch. The buckler gets more oval with age, and may reach eight inches in length and five in width. The Painted Emys (Emys picta) is a well-known kind in the Eastern and Middle but not in the Southern United States. It has a broad yellow band, limited by a black line, extending along the front of the .scales, and the margin of the carapace lias blood-red blotches on it It has a large web to the feet, and is very aquatic, dying if kept many days out of its favourite element. Another and allied genus is Clemmys, of which Clenimys iiuculpta is found from Maine to Pennsylvania. It is not always found in and near watei-, for it is a gi-eat wanderer, and makes its way to the forest.
Text Appearing After Image:
LEMMYS IXSCULPTA. Another of this widely-spread genus, which is often made to replace that of Emys, is found in Europe and Western Asia. It is the Caspian Terrapin,* with a pale olive back and indistinct paler, yellowish, reticulated lines, edged with black. The plastron and under-side of the margin are black, with irregular-sized yellow spots on the outer side of each sternal shield; the head and neck are olive, and the throat and sides of the neck have black-edged pale streaks. The upper beak like jaw has a slight acute central notch and a tooth-shaped process on each side. Another important genus of this group is Kinosternon, in which the fore and aft part of the plastron are movable, after the fashion of Water Box Tortoises. They are popularly called Double- flapped Box Tortoises. The Pennsylvanian Mud Terrapin is the example.f The well-known Alligator TeiTapin,J or Snapping Turtle, belongs to the genus Chelydra of this family. It has a comparatively small buckler, but it is provided with a plated head, armed with a hooked beak. Tlie claws are, moreover, strong, and the tail has a crest on it. There are two growths or barbules under the chin. This is an active swimmer, and is very destructive of fish and even young birds. They grow to a considerable size, for some measure twenty-four inches, and the longest attain four feet in length. The weight of 20 lbs. is not uncommon. Tliey ai-e found in stagnant waters or shallow pools, but generally prefer deep water, and live at the bottom of rivers; and when they come to the sui-face, they elevate the tip of the pointed snout and float along with the cun-ent, going to the bottom at once, if disturbed. They are very voracious, feeding on fish, reptiles, or any animal substance that falls in their way. They take the hook when fished for, and require much * Ckmmys caspU-u. + Kbiosttrnon. pennsylmiikiim. ; Ct(?i/rfm serpentina.

Note About Images