Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. 233 



Habitat. — Texas to Florida. Agassiz states in his Con- 

 tributions to the Natural History of the United States, 

 ''This species is only found in the Western and South- 

 western States." He says he has received many speci- 

 mens collected by Mr. G. Stolley in the Osage River in 

 Missouri and in Williamson Co., Texas. 



Habits. — The habits of the Southern Musk Turtle are 

 no doubt similar to those of the preceding species. Up 

 to this date I have not been able to secure a specimen 

 from the Osage River. The specimen I recorded from 

 Ozark Co., Mo., (Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 13: 82. 1903.) 

 proved after a careful examination to be A. odoratus. 



Genus kinosternon. 



Head large, v/ith a large rhomboidal plate above. Plastron almost 

 equal to length of carapace, with its anterior and posterior lobes nearly 

 equal in length, both freely movable on the middle fixed portion and 

 capable of closing the shell. Posterior lobe emarginate behind, its 

 angles rounded. Carapace elongate, convex and smooth in the adults. 

 Tail with a terminal nail. 



89. KiNosTERNON LouisiANAE Baur. Louisiana Mud Turtle. 



Description. — Shell much like K. pennsylvanicum, but more elongate. 

 Skull different. The lateral hook in the middle of the maxillary very 

 much developed and very sharp. Median hook on symphysis not so 

 strong. Postorbital arch stronger than in E. pennsylvanicum. Lower 

 jaw very strong, ending in a sharp point; symphysis of lower jaw larger 

 than vertical diameter of orbit. Pour barbels, two just behind the 

 symphysis near together, and two farther behind more separated. 



Color. — A yellow-orange stripe from snout over upper part of orbit 

 along the neck; another one from the angle of the mouth to the neck. 

 Limbs and necks olive gray, a few yellow spots on top of posterior 

 part of head. Lower jaw with grayish yellow dots and lines. Webs 

 more developed than in K. pennsylvanicum. 



Size. — Length of carapace 106 mm.; width of carapace 74 mm.; 

 length of plastron 103 mm.; width of front lobe at hinge 53 mm.; 

 width of rear lobe 48 mm. 



Habitat. — Louisiana westward well into Texas and up 

 the Mississippi Valley to Southeastern Missouri. Mis- 

 souri localities: — Butler County. 



