. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE HAWKSBILL TURTLE. 419 hard, but often of a soft consistency, and their broad feet with the toes webbed as far the claws. The Chicken Tortoise is found in North America. It is very common in ponds, lalces, or marshy grounds, and though very plentiful, and by no means quick in its movements, is not easily caught, owing to its extreme wariness. The Chicken Tortoise swims well, but not rapidly, and as it passes along' with its head and neck elevated above the surface, it looks so like the dark water-snake of the same country, that at a little distance i
. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE HAWKSBILL TURTLE. 419 hard, but often of a soft consistency, and their broad feet with the toes webbed as far the claws. The Chicken Tortoise is found in North America. It is very common in ponds, lalces, or marshy grounds, and though very plentiful, and by no means quick in its movements, is not easily caught, owing to its extreme wariness. The Chicken Tortoise swims well, but not rapidly, and as it passes along' with its head and neck elevated above the surface, it looks so like the dark water-snake of the same country, that at a little distance it might readily be mistaken for that reptile. I have kept several of these reptiles, and found no difficulty in preserving them in health. They lived in a tank in which were several large stones that projected above the surface of the water. On the top of these stones the Chicken Tortoises loved to sit, and so exactly did their bodies harmonize with the stones, that it was not easy to decide at a hasty glance whether the stones were bare or covered with the little Tortoises. At first, the least movement or sound would send them tumbling into the water, but after a while they became used to captivity, and would even leed out of the hand. CHICKEN TORTOISE.—{Emys reticularia.) Their diet consisted of meat, either raw or cooked. They used to seize it in their mouths, and then, placing a foot on its side, push away the meat, so as to cut a piece completely out with their sharp edged jaws. They will even seize fish and serve them in like manner, and indeed it is not safe to place them in tanks wherein are any other living creatures. It is rather a small species, seldom exceeding ten inches in length. Its flesh is remarkably excellent, very tender and delicately flavoured, something like that of a young chicken, so that this Tortoise is in great request as an article of food, and is largely sold in the markets, though not so plentifully as the common s=ilt-water terrapin. Its colour
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
