3SO 



CHELONIA 



which stand so closely together that they form almost median 

 patches. 



• The carapace is rough. The horny shields become very thin 

 with age. The anterior mar^rin of the small nuchal and the 

 neighbouring marginals is faintly serrated. The posterior 

 marginals form slight notches or indentations between tlieir 

 edges. The plastron is almost square behind. The edges of the 



/d.Tf^/Ay.l.^.f, 



Fig. 77. — Chrysemys concinna, in its 

 tliird summer, x 1. 



^'' -/•?«!• 5f,-j^- 



FlG. 7S.— Chrysemys concinna, in its 

 tliird summer. \ 1. 



The 



jaws are nearly smooth, without hook and receiving-notch, 

 tail is short. 



This species inhabits the South-Eastern States of North 

 America, from Missouri and North Carolina to the Gulf of 

 Mexico. Very large female specimens have a shell sixteen inches 

 in length. The eggs measure from 33 by 25 to 39 by 25 mm. 

 or about 1^- inch in the long diameter. 



Eiiiys. — The plastron is movably united to the carapace Ijy 

 ligament, and in the adult has a slightly flexible hinge across the 

 middle, Ijetween the hyo- and hypo-plastral plates and the pectoral 

 and abdominal shields. The plastron is large, but does not quite 

 close the box. Besides the small nuchal there are twelve pairs 



