42 CISTUDA BLANDINGII. 



and Bibron have called "Hiantes," as k cannot close the shell as perfectly as the 

 "Clausiles," which section includes the Cistuda Carolina. 



Dr. Blanding says, the animal from which this description was taken was a 

 female, and had, when examined, sixty eggs in different stages of development. 

 He furthermore observes that he was struck at first view with the difierence of 

 form of this animal and the common Cistuda, and on further examination he 

 found it could never bring the sternum in contact with the shell so as to conceal 

 the head, neck, extremities and tail completely, as can the Cistuda Carolina. 



There can then be no doubt of its being a new species of Cistuda, for 



1. The head resembles that of an Emys, and has the upper jaw deeply 

 emarginate in front; while in the hundreds of the common box tortoise that I 

 have examined, all had a broad flattened hook in front, although not recurved. 



2. The form of the carapace is that of an Emys, the anterior margin, or that 

 corresponding to the anterior section of the sternum, but slightly elevated; while 

 in the Cistuda Carolina the same margin rises at an angle of 45° or nearly. 



3. It differs in the form of its sternum, deeply emarginate behind, which I have 

 never seen in the Cistuda Carolina. 



4. In the proportionate size of the two sections of the sternum, thus the 

 posterior is to the anterior as 43.39, while in the Cistuda Carolina it is as 31.22. 



5. In its inability to bring the sternum completely in contact with the shell. 



