FAMILY CHELONIDjE. 17 



MUHLENBERG'S TORTOISE 



Emts muhleneergii. 

 plate viii. fig. 15. — (state collection.) 



Testudo punctata, var. Schcepff, Hist. Testud. p. 132, pi. 31. 



Ckersinz muhlenbcrgii. Merrem, Syst. p. 30. 



Clemmys ? Wagler, p. 136. 



Emys bignliata. Say, Acad. Nat. Sc. Vol. 4, p. 205. 



Terrapcne. BoNAP. 



T. muhlenbergii. Le Conte, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. Vol. 3, p. 119. 



E. id. Harlan, Medical and Physical Researches, p. 152. 



E. id. Holbrook, N. Am. Herpetology, Vol. 1, pi. 5 ; and Vol. 1, p. 45, pi. 4, of Ed. 2da. 



Characteristics. Shell elevated, carinate. Neck with one or more orange spots on the side 

 Length 4 inches. 



Description. Head moderate, depressed above ; upper jaw deeply notched, the lower with 

 an acute tip. Membrane of the neck rugose, with unequal papillae and a large fold. Fore 

 feet scaly ; the five toes divided from the claws nearly to their bases. Claws subequal, the 

 external and internal being somewhat shorter. Hind legs longer than those before, with four 

 toes, and one obsolete on the inner side. Tail sub-triangular, with about fourteen pair of sub- 

 caudal plates. Shell elevated, carinate, dilated behind, narrowed in the middle ; anterior 

 margin scolloped, the posterior emarginate. The intermediate marginal plate sub-linear and 

 very small, projecting slightly beyond its neighbors ; the four next on each side nearly hori- 

 zontal ; the three following more vertical, and the remainder horizontal, the most posterior 

 declivous. First vertebral plate pentagonal, the three next hexagonal, the fifth irregularly 

 four-sided, the remainder pentagonal. All the scales with concentric angular stria? and corres- 

 ponding ridges, except on the middle marginal plates, where they become almost obsolete ; in 

 old individuals, they become partially or entirely obliterated. Sternum emarginate behind. 

 Scapular plates triangular, with their external angles projecting and rounded within, as shown 

 on the plate above referred to. The remaining plates sub-quadrate ; abdominal largest ; 

 femoral with its posterior angle projecting beyond the caudal, which is rhomboidal ; all have 

 concentric striae. 



Color. Head dark-colored above, with darker dashes and crimson dots on the cheeks. Irides 

 brown. Chin and sides of the jaw with bright red streaks and spots. Two large irregular 

 orange or yellow spots, often confluent, on each side of the back part of the head. Inside of 

 the feet and under side of the tail, red ; this is also the predominant color of the exterior parts, 

 but it is of a darker hue. Shell dark brown, with irregular sub-radiating lines of a dingy 

 yellow. Sternum blackish, with yellow or flesh-color along the medial line. Claws of a dark 

 horn-color. 



Length of shell, 3' 5. 



Height, 1-8. 



Length of the head and neck from the intermediate plate, . 1 • 4. 

 Fauna — Part 3. 3 



