The Box Turtles 



Distribution. Indiana to the Rocky Mountains and south- 

 ward into Mexico. In the Southern United States, the species 

 does not range eastward of Texas. 



THE COMMON BOX TURTLE 



Cistudo Carolina, (Linn.) 



The carapace of this species is highly arched and globular, 

 with a distinct, though blunt keel upon the centre. The front 

 and rear borders of the upper shell flare outward and the edges 

 curl upward. There are four claws upon the hind feet. 



Colouration. Black or dark brown above, with numerous 

 yellow spots or blotches. The markings are extremely variable. 

 They may consist of short, yellow bands arranged in irregular 

 groups in each plate, or of bands that run together on the sides 

 of the shell, forming broad, E-like markings. On many specimens 

 the markings are confined to the centres of the shields, each 

 of which contains an irregular blotch that resembles the out- 

 line of a large drop of fluid falling upon a flat surface and splash- 

 ing in every direction. Occasional specimens look as if they 

 had been spotted with a brush, with no regard for regularity 

 in the placing of the blotches. 



The plastron is yet more variable than the carapace. On 

 some specimens it is of a uniform dark brown or black; on others 

 black, with large patches of yellow. A specimen in the writer's 

 collection possesses a plastron strikingly marked with narrow 

 lines and spots of black and yellow over the entire surface. The 

 black markings fuse into the yellow through a medium of rich 

 brown and the effect is to closely resemble the showy markings 

 of the Hawk's-bill Turtle, which yields the valuable "tortoise" 

 shell. 



The head markings of this species are very irregular. Male 

 specimens usually have bright red eyes; the eyes of the females 

 are generally yellow. 



Dimensions. The measurements in this list are of an adult, 

 male specimen: 



Height of Combined Shell 2 inches 



Length of Carapace 5f 



Width of 4f 



Length of Plastron (open) 5f 



Width of Head ij 



59 



