145 



iilon;,' llir l);iiiks. This is ^fiiciiillv a sliort distainr from tho 

 wali'i's (•<!};»■. They bury a foot or so in llic mud and remain thei-f 

 all winlci". NNlicii siniiij^ approaclics llu-y revive and move out. 

 Sx)mfiim(s they eoutinue for (|ui(e a distance up a stream or inh't, 

 (ill a favored locality is found. My means of (he dis(url)an(e *hey 

 have caused in (he nuid wheic (hey have attempted to burrow they 

 may be successfully trailed. They are eagerly sought on account of 

 (heir hij^^h market value. Six inches is a common size, and eight 

 inches unusual." — Fowler, pp. '2'A\'2'.V2. 



The female deposits her eggs in loose soil in the spring or early 

 summer, leaving the water foi- this purj)OSe. They lay only five to 

 seven eggs at a time and thus their multiplication is not rapid. This 

 is (he one turtle that regularly frequents salt marshes, and excepting 

 (he Sea Turtles is the only one I hat lives in salt water. 



l)i(mars says that the Diamond Back in captivity eats chopped 

 clams and oysters, some fish and raw meat, and it is also fond of 

 small periwinkle snails. He has (d)served one eating a small crab 

 on the seashore. In captivity i( has been known to nibble lettuce 

 leaves and will pi*obably eat sea weed when wild. 



Having had none to examine we cannot report the food from 

 personal observations. 



Species 10. Pseudemys rubriventris (Lee). Red Bellied Terrapin. 



The Red Bellied Terrapin has been referred to in literature not 

 only by its common name, but also as Potter, Red Bellied Turtle, 

 Skill Pot, and Slider. The first common name is, of course, taken 

 from (he color of the under side, while it is sometimes called the 

 "Slider" fiom (he liabi( of sliding from banks, rocks or logs into the 

 water when alarme^. This (nrlle is found from New Jereey to 

 X'irginia, and has been reported as being common in the Delaware 

 river near Trenton. It is also reported as being found in the 

 eastern part of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Mary- 

 land, the (wo Virginias and North Carolina. 



Holbrook says "It is frequently brought to the Philadelphia 

 market from both the Delaware and Suscjuehauna river systems" 

 and Ix^Conte says "it is common in the Delaware river near Tren- 

 ton." 



This species has the general character of geo(jraphicu8^ but with 

 alveolar surface of upper jaw divided by a longitudinal ridge par 

 allel to margin; upper jaw notched in front; head wi(h (hin hard 

 skin; carapace without median keel but with (wo mediolateral short 

 ridg(^s. Loose skin betwe<'n legs without scales, ridge in alveolar 

 surface of jaw tuberculate. Young marked with confluent, lozenge- 

 shajR'd figures. Jaws ct)arsely serrated; iM)iu( of upper jaw with a 



