REPTILES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



ORDER I. 



CHELONIA. 



Emts. Brogniart 



D J 



Generic characters. Shell depressed, solid ; sternum broad, 

 solid, immoveable, firmly joined to the shell, consisting of 

 twelve plates, and four supplemental ones ; extremities palma- 

 ted, anterior with five nails, posterior with four ; head of ordi- 

 nary size ; tail long. 



E. guttata. Schneider. 



Shaw's Gen. Zoology, vol. iii. pt. 1. p. 47, et fig. 



Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y. vol. iii. p. 117. 



Harlan's Med. and Pbys. Res. p. 151. 



Dum. et Bibron, Hist. Nat. des Kept. torn. ii. p. 295. 



N. A. Herp. vol. ii. p. 25, et fig. 

 « 



This, our most common species of tortoise, is found in small 

 streams and clear water throughout the State, oftentimes in great 

 numbers ; a very concise description only is therefore offered : 



The upper shell is black, sprinkled over its whole surface 

 with more or less distant, roundish, bright yellow spots. In 

 some specimens, eight or ten quite small spots may be seen 

 crowded upon a single plate ; while in others, several of the 

 plates, particularly those on the dorsum, exhibit but one spot 

 each, brighter colored and larger than those just referred to. 



