1(58 



made no perceptible growth. Prof. F. W. Craigin (^9, 1, 101) thinks 

 that these and other turtles are sometimes killed by minks and other car- 

 niverous animals. To the attacks of such enemies may be due the great 

 timidity of turtles, which seem to have so few enemies. 



Chrysemys marginata, Ag. 

 Western Painted Tortoise. 



Ghrysennys marginata, Agassiz, 1857, 4, i, 439, pi. i, fig. 6 and pi. v, 

 "figs. 1-4; Chnjsemys cinerea, Boulenger, 1889, 84-y 73. 



Shell broad and depressed, broadest behind the middle ; the shell 

 flaring considerably posteriorly ; its surface very smooth ; no traces of a 

 keel, even in the young. Scutes of the carapace arranged as usual 

 among tortoises, the suture between the costals meeting the lateral border 

 of the proper vertebral about its middle. Vertebrals 2 and 3 wider than 

 long, but narrower than the costals. Anterior border of the carapace 

 often with a few dentations ; the posterior border not serrated. Plastron 

 broad and flat, truncated before and behind ; the anterior end often den- 

 ticulated. Bridge wide, flat, and rising rather rapidly to the margin of 

 the carapace. Head of moderate size ; snout not much projecting. 

 Jaws with smooth cutting edge, the front with an evident notch, on each 

 side of which is a small tooth. Alveolar ridge feeble. Lower jaw little 

 upturned. Limbs with moderate development; the digits webbed to the 

 claws. Tail of moderate length, that of the males longest. 



The color of the carapace is usually dark green. The hinder border of 

 the costal and vertebral scutes is narrowly bordered with black. On the 

 anterior border of the same scutes, and lying immediately against the 

 black margin, are slightly wider lines of bright red (yellow in alcoholic 

 specimens). These red or yellow lines do not join so as to form straight 

 lines across the back. A very narrow line of red runs along the middle 

 of the back. Upper surfaces of the marginal plates with many crescent- 

 shaped marks, of bright red. Lower surfaces of the marginals black, 

 with large splotches of blood-red and bright yellow. Plastron bright yel- 

 low or brownish red, with a large dusky blotch occupying its central por- 

 tion. Soft skin of head, legs and tail dark olive, with red stripes. On 

 the occipital region are two large waxy yellow spots, nearly as large as 

 the eye; these prolonged backward into two narrower pale yellow stripes. 

 Another short yellow stripe from the upper corner of the eye ; another 

 from the lower side of the eye and running back on the neck. Two red 

 stripes on the front of the fore legs, and similar ones on the posterior sur- 

 faces of the thighs. Besides these, there are numerous small spots of red 

 all over the soft parts. All the red fades to yellow in alcohol. 



The usual length of the shell is about 4 or 5 inches ; a length of 7 

 inches may be attained. This species is an inhabitant of the Northern 



