220 Illinois State Lahoratory of Natural History. 



plates of plastron elongate, and narrowed posteriorly. Pecto- 

 rals transversely elongate, quadrangular, with no lateral pro- 

 jecting portion. Abdominals produced backwards laterally. 

 No inguinal plate. Preanals and anals large, the latter trunc- 

 ate behind. Head convex above. Anterior legs widest, with 

 numerous oval scales. Claws well developed. Digits 5-4, or 

 5-3. 



Colors extremely variable; generally dark brown above, 

 with numerous yellow markings of irregular form and disposi- 

 tion. Prevailiug color sometimes golden yellow. Often with 

 the yellow jn the form of short stripes and spots, with a more 

 or less continuous vertebral stripe. Head and fore legs often 

 with round spots of orange. Iris varying from hazel to light 

 magenta. Plastron yellow, with a few dark blotches, or with 

 the yellow and black or brown in about equal proportions and 

 in the form of stripes; sometimes mostly ebony black. Young 

 are yellowish brown, and have a vertebral ridge on the cara- 

 pace. 



Length of shell, 4.37; depth, 1.75; width, 3.50. 



Throughout the State, rare northward, not uncommon in 

 dry woods of the south part of the State. Du Quoin, Eldorado, 

 Cobden, Anna, Fairfield, and Mt. Carrael (Nat. Mus.). 



The box turtle is the most strictly terrestrial of all our 

 turtles, frequenting the dryest hills and woods during the 

 hottest summer months. It is said to avoid the water and 

 to conceal itself at the approach of a storm. This is not in 

 accord with my limited experience with the species, for but 

 a few seasons ago I took four examples, two males and two 

 females, from a small shallow pool, and have seen a few speci- 

 mens wandering about during rain storms. It lives to a great 

 age according to Mr. J. A. Allen. A marked specimen was 

 known to him to have lived sixty years at least. The food 

 consists of both animal and vegetable substances; insects, 

 fruits, and mushrooms are known to be eaten by it. Both of 

 the varieties occur in Illinois. 



Cistudo ornata, Ag. 



Cistudo ornata, Ag., L., Contr. Nat. Hist. U. S., 1857, I., p. 445. 

 This species has been described as broad and flat, with no 

 vertebral keel even in the young. It is said to be common in 



