ClipArt ETC
The Hare and the Tortoise. The tortoise crosses the finish line ahead of the hare. Slow and steady wins the race.

Aesop's Fables

The Hare and the Tortoise. The tortoise crosses the finish line ahead of the hare. Slow and steady wins…

"Snapping turtle."-Whitney, 1902

Alligator Terrapin

"Snapping turtle."-Whitney, 1902

Posessing a nearly perfectly hemispherical shell, the American box turtle ranges from Canada to Florida. It feeds on fruits, insects, edible mushrooms, and the like.

American box-tortoise

Posessing a nearly perfectly hemispherical shell, the American box turtle ranges from Canada to Florida.…

Ranging throughout the Northern and Middle States, Blanding's box-tortoise measures seven to inches in length at the shell.

Blanding's box-tortoise

Ranging throughout the Northern and Middle States, Blanding's box-tortoise measures seven to inches…

A pair of turtle doves roosting on a branch.

Turtle doves

A pair of turtle doves roosting on a branch.

A pictorial banner illustrated with a bear and elephant holding up a cloth banner.

Elephant & Bear Holding Banner

A pictorial banner illustrated with a bear and elephant holding up a cloth banner.

The Hawksbill turtle is a sea turtle with many distinguishing characteristics. It has a beak like mouth, a V-shaped lower jaw and flippers with two claws on each.

Hawksbill Turtle

The Hawksbill turtle is a sea turtle with many distinguishing characteristics. It has a beak like mouth,…

The imbricated turtle at sea.

Imbricated turtle

The imbricated turtle at sea.

Averaging six inches in length, the mud-tortoise is evenly distributed throughout the United States.

Mud-tortoise

Averaging six inches in length, the mud-tortoise is evenly distributed throughout the United States.

The musk tortoise draws its namesake from its strong musky odor. It is found from Maine to Florida.

Musk-tortoise

The musk tortoise draws its namesake from its strong musky odor. It is found from Maine to Florida.

A tortoise.

Pyxis

A tortoise.

A frame surrounded by various reptiles.

Reptiles

A frame surrounded by various reptiles.

The underside of a turtle or tortoise shell.

Turtle Shell

The underside of a turtle or tortoise shell.

Skeleton of a tortoise, seen from below, the plastron having been removed. (ca) carapace.

Tortoise Skeleton

Skeleton of a tortoise, seen from below, the plastron having been removed. (ca) carapace.

The underside view of a tortoise skeleton.

Tortoise Skeleton

The underside view of a tortoise skeleton.

Common around New York and the surrounding regions, the red-bellied terrapin averages ten to seventeen inches in length.

Red-bellied terrapin

Common around New York and the surrounding regions, the red-bellied terrapin averages ten to seventeen…

The salt-water terrapin lives in salt or brackish water along the sea-coast, buying itself in the mud during winter.

Salt-water terrapin

The salt-water terrapin lives in salt or brackish water along the sea-coast, buying itself in the mud…

The smooth terrapin is found from Rhode island southward along the eastern coast of the United States.

Smooth terrapin

The smooth terrapin is found from Rhode island southward along the eastern coast of the United States.

An illustration of a tortoise reaching his goal along a long path.

Tortoise Reaching Goal

An illustration of a tortoise reaching his goal along a long path.

An illustration of a tortoise with a top hat and an umbrella.

Tortoise with Top Hat & Umbrella

An illustration of a tortoise with a top hat and an umbrella.

"This species lives in stagnant water, and is altogether remarkable for its singular appearance."

Bearded Tortoise

"This species lives in stagnant water, and is altogether remarkable for its singular appearance."

A Box Tortoise

Box Tortoise

A Box Tortoise

A tortoise having plastron hinged, so that the shell can be made to close upon entirely conceal the animal.

Box Tortoise

A tortoise having plastron hinged, so that the shell can be made to close upon entirely conceal the…

Primarily nocturnal, the matamata tortoise of South America feeds on small reptiles and fish.

Matamata tortoise

Primarily nocturnal, the matamata tortoise of South America feeds on small reptiles and fish.

"They are very abundant in Europe. Their flesh is eaten in many countries."

Mud-Tortoise

"They are very abundant in Europe. Their flesh is eaten in many countries."

Feeding primarily on worms and insects, the spotted tortoise averages three to four inches in length.

Spotted tortoise

Feeding primarily on worms and insects, the spotted tortoise averages three to four inches in length.

An illustration of a turtle on a log.

Turtle on Log

An illustration of a turtle on a log.

"The river-tortoises only rarely come on land. The toes are united up to the claws by broad, flexible membranes."

Egyptian River-Turtle

"The river-tortoises only rarely come on land. The toes are united up to the claws by broad, flexible…

Hawk's-bill Turtle (chelonia imbricata).

Hawk's-bell Turtle

Hawk's-bill Turtle (chelonia imbricata).

An imbrcated turtle on land.

Imbricated turtle

An imbrcated turtle on land.

An imbricated turtle, flipped onto its back, revealing its underbelly.

Imbricated turtle, overturned

An imbricated turtle, flipped onto its back, revealing its underbelly.

The leatherback turtle (once known as the leathery turtle) is remarkable among turtles for its shell; which is covered in leathery skin rather than hard plates.

Leatherback turtle

The leatherback turtle (once known as the leathery turtle) is remarkable among turtles for its shell;…

"Turtle is, in zoology, the popular name for any species of the Cheloniidæ. They may be distinguished by their long, compressed, fin-shaped, non-retractile feet, with the toes inclosed in a common skin, from which only one or two claws project. The carapace is broad and much depressed, so that when these animals are on shore, and are turned over on their backs, they cannot regain the natural position. Turtles are marine animals; their pinnate feet and light shell render them excellent swimmers. They sometimes live at a great distance from land, to which they periodically return to deposit their soft-shelled eggs in the sand."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Skeleton of Turtle

"Turtle is, in zoology, the popular name for any species of the Cheloniidæ. They may be distinguished…

Skeleton of a turtle.

Skeleton of a turtle

Skeleton of a turtle.

Inhabiting freshwater areas of the United States, the snapping turtle feeds on frogs and fishes.

Snapping turtle

Inhabiting freshwater areas of the United States, the snapping turtle feeds on frogs and fishes.

"The turtle, adapted for swimming and diving, the extremities being relatively larger than in the seal, sea-bear, and walrus. The anterior extremities have a thick anterior margin and a thin posterior one, and in this respect resemble wings."—Pettigrew, 1874

The Turtle

"The turtle, adapted for swimming and diving, the extremities being relatively larger than in the seal,…

An illustration of a domestic turtle-dove.

Domestic turtle-dove

An illustration of a domestic turtle-dove.

A woman showing over-exaggerated movements due to being scared of a turtle. She is wearing a large bonnet and lifts her dress a bit to reveal her bloomers.

Scared Woman

A woman showing over-exaggerated movements due to being scared of a turtle. She is wearing a large bonnet…

Sometimes referred to as the fresh-water terrapin, the wood-terrapin ranges from Canada to Pennsylvania.

Wood-terrapin

Sometimes referred to as the fresh-water terrapin, the wood-terrapin ranges from Canada to Pennsylvania.