The Terrapins 



Colouration. The carapace is brownish or olive, with 

 blotches, streaks or irregular bands of red. Each of the mar- 

 ginal shields, both above and beneath, have a reddish band 

 passing through the centre. Plastron usually dull red, or deep 

 orange, tinged with red at the borders. 



Head markings. Head and neck dark brown, with obscure, 

 reddish bands; two distinct, narrow, reddish-yellow lines from 

 behind the eye to the neck, broad, red bands on the throat. 



Dimensions. Grows to a length of about twelve inches; 

 the width of a specimen this size would be about 7^ inches and 

 the height of the shell about 4^ inches. 



Distribution. Occurs in eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, New 

 Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, the two Virginias and northern 

 North Carolina. It is numerous in the Delaware River, in New 

 Jersey and commonly sold in the larger markets. 



Habits. This terrapin occurs principally in rivers with a 

 rocky bed. 



THE YELLOW-BELLIED TERRAPIN 

 Cbrysemys scabra, (Agassiz) 



The carapace of this terrapin is the most deeply grooved 

 of any of the species; this rugose characteristic is at once strik- 

 ing, "upon a gross examination of the shell. There is a dull keel 

 on the central portion; the rear border is notched. Head rather 

 large. 



Colouration. Carapace olive, brown or black, with dull, 

 yellow bands extending downward from the central portion. 

 The illustration of an example under water, clearly delineates 

 these markings. 



With the adult, there are practically no narrow, yellow lines 

 on the head, except a single yellow stripe on the crown. Behind 

 the eye is a broad, upright, yellow bar this, sometimes in the 

 shape of a thick C occasionally, though rarely, it is seen as 

 a wide band, from the eye to the angle of the mouth; from the 

 tip of the snout to the upper mandible is another yellow bar. 



Plastron usually immaculate yellow. Lower marginal 

 shields of carapace yellow; a dark blotch in each. 



Dimensions. Average length of carapace 10 inches; width, 

 6f ; length of plastron, 9! inches; height of shell, 3! inches. 



39 



