130 KINOSTERNON PENNSYLVANICUM. 



The extremities and tail are dusky above, and clouded or dirty yellowish-white 

 below. 



Dimensions. Length of shell, 3^ inches; breadth of shell, 2 inches 10 hnes; 

 elevation. If inches; length of sternum, 3 inches 2 lines. 



Habits. The Kinosternon Pennsylvanicum abounds in ponds or muddy pools, 

 feeding on small fish and such other aquatic annuals as it can secure. It takes 

 the hook readily, and is therefore very troublesome to anglers; seizing the bait so 

 cautiously, that it is frequently some minutes before it is fairly hooked, when it 

 struggles violently. The living animal has a slight odour of musk that is not 

 disagreeable. 



Geographical Distribution. The Kinosternon Pennsylvanicum is found in 

 the Atlantic states from Cape Florida to latitude 41°; beyond this I have not 

 heard of its existence; and Hitchcock, in his Geology of Massachusetts, probably 

 mistook the Sternothserus odoratus for the Kinosternon Pennsylvanicum. It is 

 also abundant in the west; Troost observed it in Tennessee and Kentucky, and 

 Say saw it high up the Missouri. 



General Remarks. Edwards first described this animal from a specimen 

 furnished him by John Bartram, of Pennsylvania, and gave of it three figures in 

 his Gleanings of Natural History. These figures were done from life; and 

 though not very beautiful, yet they are sufficiently accurate, and have been 

 copied by several Naturalists. Although this may be considered as the earliest 

 notice of the animal, yet the first full and accurate description is in the Historia 

 Testudinum of Schoepff", taken from an individual sent him by Muhlenberg. 



Naturalists have experienced some difficulty in assigning the Kinosternon 

 Pennsylvanicum to its proper place. Brogniart first separated it from the genus 

 Testudo and referred it to that of Emys, to which it certainly does not belong. 



