1242 



Rural Sciioor, Licaflet 



Male Muhlenberg's turtle, one- 

 fourth natural size. Note 

 concave plastron and thick 

 tail 



The male of the painted turtle has the liabit at the l^rccding season 

 of opposing the path of the female. When he has stopped her, he begins 

 to beat her hcafl and eyes with his long finger nails. She escapes to be 

 captured again, when the male repeats the performance. The female 



sometimes travels some distance from the 

 water to lay her eight to ten eggs in clayey 

 or sandy soil. The eggs are elliptical, about 

 one and one-fourth inches long, and from five- 

 eighths to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. 

 Usually the eggs hatch in September, but 

 sometimes they winter over, and the young 

 issue forth the following May or June. Rarely 

 in the middle of October one may find the 

 painted turtles betaking themselves from 

 clearer waters, to swampy or muddy ponds where they hibernate. 



(b) The western painted turtle 

 has the same habits and appear- 

 ance as the painted turtle, except 

 that the three rows of scales on 

 the back do not form straight cross 

 rows of three, but alternate with 

 each other. 



(c) The Muhlenberg's turtle is 

 very rare and peculiar in its dis- 

 tribution. It has been recorded 



near Geneva, near Ithaca, in the headwaters of the Delaware River, 

 in southeastern parts of New York State, in New Jersey, and in Penn- 

 sylvania. Its carapace is somewhat like that of the spotted turtle, l^ui is 

 higher and narrower. The blackish or brownish black plates may have a 

 series of grooves, one within the other, or they may be smooth. The 



plastron is the same color as the carapace, 

 or it may have a slight splash of yellow or 

 brown. The distinguishing mark is a roimd 

 orange spot on each side of the head. The 

 upper jaw has a deep notch. The Muhlen- 

 berg's turtle appears from hibernation be- 

 tween April lo and May i. It inhabits 

 the clear waters of marl ponds, the narrow, 

 grassy streams of sphagnum moss swamps, and the cold, clear water 

 of alder swamps and thickets. It is a smaller turtle than its common 

 swamp associate, the spotted turtle. Its shell seldom exceeds four 

 inches in length. It is not so active as the spotted turtle, and when 



Female western painted turtle, one-fourth 

 natural size 



Male Muhlenberg s turtle, one- 

 fourth natural size 



