6 TORTOISES, TERRAPINS, AND TURTLES. 



the hind foot, peculiar to Mexico ; some writers consider it to be only a local variety. The genus is 

 peculiar for having no zygomatic arch to the skvdl. 



Dr. Holbrook observes that " this Tortoise is found from one extremity of the United States to 

 the other, even as far north as Maine, south as far as Louisiana, Elorida, and Alabama, and west as far 

 as the Missouri river." He says, " It is entirely a land animal ; indeed it is so bad a swimmer that 

 it wiU drown at the end of a few days if thrown into water. In the Southern States it is always found 

 in diy places, and is very numerous in the immense pine-forests of that country, and is hence frequently 

 called pine-barren Terrapin, or cooler, by the negroes (a word probably of African origin, and applied 

 to some similar animal). It feeds on insects, crickets, &c., and, according to Leconte, on fungous 

 plants, as the Clavaria &c. When in confinement (and it can easily be domesticated), it eats readily 

 whatever is offered, as bread, potatoes, apples, &c." 



16. TERRAPENE AMBOINENSIS, Merrem. 



Tab. XXIII. 



Ouora amboinensis. Gray, Cat. Sh. Rept. Suppl. p. 21. 



Hab. Amboina, Gilolo, Borneo, Batchian, Booro, and Santang. 



The heads vary much in shape in the different specimens from the same locality : in some males 

 they are very broad ; in others, male and female specimens, the heads are much narrower. 



17. CYCLEMYS ORBICULATA, Bell. 



Tab. XXIV. & XXV. 



Cyclemys dhor, Gray, Cat. Sh. Rept. Suppl. p. 23. 



Hab. Java. 



The lower figiire on Tab. XXV. agrees with the specimens in the British Museum ; it represents 

 the lobes of the sternum, especially the hinder one, narrower than the thorax, leaving a space for the 

 legs to come out, as is the case with all the Museum specimens. The upper figure of the underside, 

 which probably belongs to the perfect animal figured on the other Plate, is peculiar for the great 

 width and broad rounded form of the front and hinder lobes of the sternum, so as to leave scarcely 

 any opening in the thorax. I have never seen a specimen which agrees with these figures ; and it 

 will probably be one from some other part of India, which has not yet made its appearance in 

 the Museum. 



" They are found in the hiU-streams in Pegu, Birmah; some men, especially the Karens, being 

 very expert in detecting their haunts, which are much the same as those of the soft Turtles 

 (Trionycidce)." 



" This species is pretty common in the hill-streams of Pegu and Tenasserim. It is active in its 

 movements ; and the flesh is excellent. The stomachs of raany which I have opened have contained 

 vegetable matters and the fruit of Ficus glomerata or other figs. The eggs are elongate-oval or, rather, 

 cylindrical, very large for the animal, and four in number." — Theobald. 



