THE REPTILES OF OHIO 26! 



counties, have failed to find this species except under circumstances which 

 would indicate that escaped specimens were involved. Until it can be proved 

 that breedmg colonics are established in that part of the state, it probably is 

 wisest to view with suspicion any box turtles which may be found there. 

 Strictly speaking, some of the records that I have admitted to the lists may be 

 based upon turtles that were introduced by hum.an agency, but there is no 

 way in which to prove the matter — one way or the other. It is quite definite, 

 however, that Tcrrapene is widespread in southern Ohio, especially in the 

 unglaciated region, and that it is well established in the Oak Openings of 

 Lucas, Fulton, and Henry counties. Doubtless it is native to many parts of 

 the state, and most of the records indicated may be considered as valid We 

 shall never know the exact natural ranges of many of our turtles, thanks t3 

 mankind's propensity for carrying these reptiles about and releasing them 

 wherever it suits his fancy. 



Graptemys geographica (Le Sueur) 

 Map Turtle 



(Page 141 ; maps 34 and 72; plate 20, fig. 2) 



Graptemys geographica continues to be a relatively elusive reptile, ?.nd 

 most of the new records for it are concentrated in areas where naturalists hav; 

 been especially active during the past decade. Most map turtles seem to be 

 taken incidental to other field activities or are acquired when they are brought 

 by fishermen (and others) to zoos or museums for identification. Graptemys 

 does not respond well to baits used m traps (Lagler, 1943b, 24), but some 

 are caught occasionally during seining operations for fish. Just as is the case 

 with Sternotherus, the map turtle is probably far more abundant in Ohio than 

 the available data would indicate. New records are: 



Athens County: Near Fisher, Alexander Twp. (OUVC 1868). Franklin 

 County: Blacklick Creek (OSM 721); Big Darby Creek. Pleasant Twp. (OSM 

 682). Hancock County: Blanchard River, at Findlay (OSM 848). Montgomery 

 County: Murlin Heights, Butler Twp. (Wood and Duellman, 1947b); Dayton 

 (Wood and Duellman, 1947b); Wolf Creek, Madison Twp. (Wood and Duellman, 

 1947b). Portage CouNT^•: Dollar Lake, near Twin Lakes (Dexter, 1948). Ross 

 County: Scioto River, at Higby Bridge, Jefferson Twp. (SL 1001). Tuscarawas 

 County: Tuscarawas River, 2 mi. below Gnadenhutten (OSM 867). Williams 

 County: Fish Creek, St. Joseph Twp. (SL 699-700). Gier reports that, while he was 

 stationed at Ohio University, he received several map turtles that were taken in "fish 

 nets" by Lee Roach; these were from the East Branch of Shade Creek, in Section 16, 

 Orange Twp., Meigs County. Wood has examined map turtles from the following 

 additional localities: Darke County: Greenville Creek, 5 mi. E of Greenville. 

 Greene County: Little Beaver Creek, at Alpha; Little Miami River, at Grinnell's 

 Mill. Ross County': Paint Creek, near Seven Caves. 



Wood also has sent me information on a large female specimen that was 

 caught during 1940 in the Stillwater River, in Montgomery County, just below 

 the Miami County line. This turtle, now a mounted skeletal exhibit in the 

 Dayton Public Library Museum, had a carapace that measured 10^^ inches. 

 Hence, it is the largest of its species yet to be recorded from Ohio. Ehrhart 

 has acquired a hatchling from Antwerp, Paulding County, that measures 33 6 



