18 NEW- YORK FAUNA. 



It is with hesitation that I refer this rare species to the present genus. It is decidedly 

 terrestrial in its habits ; preferring, however, moist places, and the neighborhood of running 

 streams. The foregoing description was made from a living specimen presented to me by 

 Mr. J. W. Hill, who obtained two of them from a meadow near Clarkstown, Rockland county, 

 in the early part of May. Their movements, unlike most of the genus, are very sluggish ; 

 and in captivity, they attempt to burrow. Its hitherto known geographic range is very re- 

 stricted, being limited to New-Jersey and the eastern part of Pennsylvania : it may now be 

 extended to the State of New-York. 



THE GEOGRAPHIC TORTOISE. 



Emys geographica. 



PLATE IV. FIG. T. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Tesludo geographica et geometrica. Les. Mem. Mus. Vol. 15, p. 267. 



Testudo geographica. Id. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. Vol. 1, p. 87, fig. 5. 



Tesludo id. Le Conte, Ann. Lye. Vol. 3, p. 108. Harlan, Med. and Phys. Res. p. 152. 



Testudo id. Holbrook, N. Am. Herp. Vol. 4; and Vol. 1, p. 99, pi. 14 of Ed. 2da. 



Characteristics. Head very large. Shell not elevated, smooth, ecarinate, serrated behind, 

 with irregular meandering yellow lines. Feet and tail striped with yellow. 

 Head with yellow stripes, but no spots. Length six inches. 



Description. Shell oval, smooth, widely emarginate in front, more narrowly notched behind. 

 The vertebral plates scarcely approach a carinate form : The first, hexagonal, rounded in 

 front, with a slight central elevation continued along the intermediate marginal plate ; the 

 three following larger, subequal, hexagonal. The two intermediate lateral plates largest, 

 pentagonal ; the posterior rhomboidal. Marginal plates twenty-five ; the three first on each 

 side continuous with the direction of the vertebral and lateral plates ; the three following re- 

 stricted, with their outer margins turned upwards ; the seventh and eighth largest ; the four 

 remaining ones on each side two-toothed on the outer margins, the bidentation becoming gra- 

 dually more distinct to the last. Sternum deeply notched behind ; the scapular plates small, 

 triangular, with a small projection at the outer angle, directed forward ; brachial plates, 

 triangular ; femoral and caudal pair subquadrate. Head large, more than twice the size of 

 the succeeding species ; jaws acute. Legs rather long, scaly ; feet palmate, well adapted for 

 swimming. A series of rather large flat scales on the upper margin of the fore legs, which 

 are furnished with five long, sharp, incurved claws. A broad palmation on the hind feet, 

 posterior to the outer claw, margined with flat scales. Tail short, pointed, cylindrical at the 

 base, compressed towards the tip. 



Color. Shell olive brown, with paler narrow meandering lines intersecting each other. 

 Marginal plates beneath, and the processes of the pectoral and abdominal plates, yellowish, 

 with broad, brownish, concentric striae. Sternum yellowish, with brownish variegations. 

 Upper part of the head, feet and tail, brownish black. Head and neck striped with yellow, 



