The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-06-25

popularity known as the
mud turtle" and the
Inc" swapping turtle tChelydrs
serpentina). Both are en-
tirely aquatic In their
habits and rarely leave the water ex-
oept to lay their eggs. The painted
turtle 10 the more abundant and, from
its custom of crawling out on logs and
rocks to sun itself. is much oftener
seen, and consequently better known
than the snapper" which, though It
e4ists In far larger numbers than IL
generally suspected. evidently finds
eoncealment best suited to its preda-
ctous mode Of life. In its business 1t
does not pay to advertise.
The swapping turtle has a very ex-
tensive range. being found over the
whole OF the United States east of the
ROCKIES. and as far south as Ecuador
while to the north II extends probably
to 30 degrees north latitude. It grows
much larger than ITS painted" brother.
specimens with a .carapace length Of
two feet being sometimes taken. Be-
SIDES Its strong, thick tail, its chief
Characteristic is its long neck. which
1t can dart out with astonishing rapid.
ity to seize Its prey or attack an enc
my. and from this 1t gaihs Its popular
name. Its powerful Jaws, though
toothless. are bony and sharp, and are
capable OF infiicting q serious wound
on the careless captor The carapace
OF the adult animal is composed Of
smooth. well defined. greenish brown
plates. The plastron and under parts
Of the animal are yellowish. Very old
individuals evidently lead sedentary
lives. and thus avoid the proverbial
opprobrium Of the rolling stone" for
their shells are often thickly coated
with moss.
On land they can walk briskly
enough on their long legs, but the
water 10 their real element, and they
swim easily and we'll. although, of
course. their lines are not designed
for speed. and they can remain sub
merged for long periods.
AS the snapper" is we'll able. and
always more than willing. to take a
strong offensive-ever the best means
OF defense-it does not stand In need
OF capacious shell. like many of its
milder-mannered relatives, into which
to retire out Of harms way. Conse-
quently its carapace scarcely covers
Its retracted head and folded tail.
while its cruciform plastron is narrow
and small. and leaves the under parts
practically undefended. The animal
generally has q very unpleasant
musty smell. and always exhibits q
most savage temper. it, favorite habi.
tat 10 small. sluggish streams and
swamps. where 1t lies concealed in the
mud and weeds. darling out its LONG
neck to seize its food 1t Is purely
carnivorous in its diet and destroys
large numbers Of fish and. when 1t can
get them. young waterfowl. On this
account we must class 1t as a decided.
ly injurious animal. although in some
places It is regularly used for food.
and 10 said to be often seen on sale
in the markets Of the southern United
States.
About the middle of June the f.
males leave the water at night to de-
post their eggs. They crawl out on
some sandy beach and scrape shallow,
saucer-shaped> depressions in the loose,
dry surface sand In order to reach the
firmer layer Of damp sand beneath.
On the beach examined. these de-
pressions were about six inches deep
by fourteen or fifteen inches in d.
ameter. The turtles seem to be rather
fastidious in their choice Of q site,
for they always make q number Of
these hollows before finally tunneling
into the damp sand. The tunnel, which
is the actual egg receptacle. is an oval
section about three inches by four
inches. and slopes At an angle Of 20
or 80 degrees into the damp sand
to depth Of four or I'VE inches. The
eggs. which just about NIL this tunnel.
are all deposited at the same time,
and the sand scraped over them again
and roughly heaped up. When the
nest" IL completed the bottom of the
tunnel II about ten inches from the
surface. The eggs Of nearly all the
other chelonta are oval in outline, but