No. 4. 

 REPORT UPON THE REPTILES COLLECTED ON THE SURVEY. 



BY J. G. COOPER, M. D. 



CLASS REPTILIA. Reptiles. 



Order I. CHELONIA. The Turtles. 

 ACTINEMYS MARMORATA, Agass. 



The ■Western Pond Turtle. 



Emis marmorala, B. & G. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Pliil. VI, 1859, 177. 



Emys nigra, Hallowell, Proc. Acad. Sc. VII, 1854, 91. — Ibid. P. R. R. Siirv. llop. vol, X, 1858, p. 3, pi. I. 

 ^ctinemys marmorala, Agass. C(«nt. to Nat. Hist, of N. A. I, 1857, 444 ; II, j)!. 3, fij. 5-8. — Girard, U. S. Kxpl. 

 Exped. Herpclology, 4GC, pi. XXXII 



Sp. Ch. — Carapax elliptical, convex, with an obtuse vertical ridge. Plastron sub-ellipsoid, broadest anteriorly. Limbs 

 Ecaly, scales in front large, not imbricated ; behind, moderate sub-tubercular. Nails rather stout. Tail above keeled sub-conical 

 or tapering. Color black above, or olive with small black mottlings ; beneath yellowish, with a black blotch in the young. 



This, the only turtle yet known from the west of the Rocky mountains, is common in fresh- 

 water ponds and rivers west of the Cascade mountains, though less so in the Columbia than 

 in the warmer ponds. Mr. Gibbs also saw turtles at the mouth of the Yakima which were 

 probably of this species. It is rather difScult to catch, being very watchful, but will sometimes 

 bite at a hook. The specimen I preserved was taken when about to deposit its eggs, on the 

 9th of June. I tried to hatch some of them, but without success. Found in the ponds about 

 Fort Steilacoom. — C. 



It attains, when full grown, a length of about eight inches, and a corresponding width. 

 The black of the back has a browuLsh or rusty tinge. It is called by the Nisquallies 

 El-la-chick — S. 



Order II. SAUEIA. The Lizards. 

 ELGARIA PRINCIPIS, B air d & G ir ur d. 



The Spotted Elgaria 



Elganapi-hicipis,B. & G.Proc. Acad. Sc. Phil. VI, 1852, 175. — Girard, U. S. Expl. Exped. Herpetology, 214, pi. 

 XXII, figs. 9-16. 

 Sp. Ch. — Dorsal scales in 48 transverse, and 14 longitudinal series. Three unequal post-nasals. Preanal shields larger than 

 the abdominal. Tail longer than body and head together. 



Several specimens of this graceful and harmless little animal were obtained about the end 

 of July, on the "Yakolt," and another prairie on the banks of the Cathlapoot'l river. They 



