The Terrapins 



Colcnirafion. — "The colouration of the head is quite different 

 from the other species. A yellow, longitudinal spot behind 

 the eye; behind this a yellow line, ending in a long longitudinal 

 spot above the temples; from the lower, posterior portion of 

 the eye a yellow line appears, sending a branch upward in front 

 of the tympanic cavity, and continues behind on the neck. Three 

 very strong yellow and some slender yellow stripes on lower 

 face of neck." 



Distribution. — Texas and probably northern Mexico. Has 

 been taken at San Antonio and along the Pecos River. 



THE PENINSULA TERRAPIN 

 Chrysemys nebulosa, (Van Denburgh) 



Allied to a Mexican and Central American species — C. 

 ornata. The shell is of moderate height, bluntly keeled and 

 rugose on the sides. 



Colouration. — Carapace olive, with numerous yellow and 

 irregular yellow bands and blotches. A black blotch in each 

 marginal shield, above and beneath. Plastron yellow, clouded 

 with brown in the central portion. 



Head dark brown, marked with fine, wavy lines on the top; 

 a broad band from beneath the eye to the throat; a yellow 

 blotch on each temple, continued backward on the neck as a 

 narrow band. 



Dimensions. — Reaches a length of 12 inches. 



Distribution. — Southern portion of the peninsula of Lower 

 California. 



The Genus Malacodemmys: The six species comprising 

 this genus are of large size — from 8 to 12 inches in length. Ex- 

 cluding one species, which has a very rough shell — the Diamond- 

 back Terrapin — these turtles exhibit a strong similarity to the 

 species of the preceding genus, and like them, are sold in great 

 numbers in the markets as "Slider" terrapin, with the exception 

 of the "Diamond-back." That species is the choice, over all 

 other terrapin, by the epicures, and brings four or five times 

 the price of species that are included within the genus to which 

 it belongs, though the former may considerably exceed it in 

 size. 



The species of this genus are characterised, among the 

 terrapin, by the strong keel upon the carapace — this usually 



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