Habitat. This species prefers ponds and streams that have mud 

 bottoms and an abundance of vegetation. 



Hibernating individuals are reported from the underwater mud 

 of ponds and a spring. 



Breeding Habits. Mating occurs in early May, after the male 

 has pursued the female for some time. It may occur on land or in 

 the water. 



The eggs are laid toward dusk late in June. The female digs a 

 flask-shaped depression near the water and deposits about three 

 eggs. She then covers them so well that the nest is hard to detect. 

 Under artificial conditions eggs have hatched in 82 days. An egg 

 measures some 22 by 16 mm. 



Food. Insect larvae, and occasionally insects; snails, crustaceans, 

 tadpoles, and especially frogs and carrion, seem to be favorite foods. 

 In captivity it will eat lettuce. The Spotted Turtle seems to prefer 

 to eat with its head under water. 



The Spotted Turtle makes a gentle, attractive and ideal pet. It 

 eats readily in captivity and is not too fussy. An aquarium equip- 

 ped with a sunning ledge suits it very well. In all kindness, a turtle 

 caught in the spring should be relased soon enough to store food 

 and sunshine in preparation for the winter hibernation. 



Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) 



Appearance. The upper shell of this turtle is quite smooth in an 

 adult. It is widest just back of the middle and is bluntly pointed 

 behind. There is a slight but distinct ridge along the backbone. The 

 fcolor of the shell is dark olive or brown overlaid with a fine net- 

 work of greenish yellow lines. The lines are conspicuous in a young 

 turtle, but in an old one may show only when the shell is wet. 

 However, the head, neck, tail and legs have narrow longitudinal 

 yellow markings on a blackish olive ground, and there is also a 

 triangular yellow patch above and behind each eye. Each of the 

 yellow scales on the underside of the edge of the upper shell has 

 whorls of olive green lines which resemble coarse finger prints. 



The lower shell is plain yellow except for some olive stripes at 

 the edge of the juncture of the upper and lower shells. 



[92] 



