EMYS RETICULATA. 61 



only of which are furnished with nails. The tail is short, thick, scaly, and 

 pointed at the tip. 



Colour. The shell is dark brown, with a yellow vertebral line from its 

 anterior to its posterior extremity. All the plates of the shell are marked with 

 yellow lines; those of the vertebral and lateral plates run frequently into each 

 other, and finally descend perpendicularly through each of the marginal plates, 

 dividing them into anterior and posterior portions. These lines communicate so 

 frequently as to give a reticulated appearance to the shell; they are often less 

 distinct on the vertebral and lateral plates than is represented in the accom- 

 panying figure, which was drawn from a specimen of great beauty. On old 

 shells these luies are nearly obliterated, or are only brought into view when the 

 shell is moistened; nor can they be traced as continuous with those of the 

 marginal plates. 



The sternum is yellow, as well as the inferior surface of the marginal plates, 

 the fourth and fifth of which, and sometimes the sixth, are marked with an oblong 

 or round black spot; below these spots on the wings is a broad black bar. Much 

 variety, however, exists in this marking; frequently only two of the marginal 

 plates have the black spots, and a third is placed on the posterior part of the 

 wings; at others the wings are marked with a black bar alone, and there are no 

 spots on the marginal plates. 



The anterior extremities are black above or dark brown, marked with a broad 

 longitudinal yellow band continued to the toes, the webs of which are also yellow; 

 the inferior surface is dusky, and marked with transverse yellow bands and bars; 

 these are by far the more numerous and distinct about the shoulder. The 

 posterior extremities are dusky above, with large bands and blotches of yellow; 

 the posterior surface of the thigh is yellow, with transverse black bars. The tail 

 is black, with three longitudinal yellow lines; the margin of the vent is yellowish. 



The skin of the head and neck is dark brown on the superior surface, with 



