170 



in or near the water and will take tender shoots, berries and insect 

 larvae. "In captivity it will feed voraciously upon earth worms, 

 small fishes, tadpoles, and young frogs, giving vigorous chase, and is 

 very fond of lettuce." 



Species 18. Terrapene Carolina (L.). Common Box Turtle. 



The Common Box Turtle has been given more common names than 

 any other species of this entire Order. It has been called The Tor- 

 toise, The Turtle, Land Tortoise, Box Turtle, Common Box Turtle, 

 Common Box Tortoise, Chequered Tortoise, Land Turtle, Closed 

 Turtle, Chequered Turtle, Locked Turtle, Land Tortoise, Box Tor- 

 toise and Carolina Box Turtle, Terrapin, Land Terrapin, etc. The 

 simple name of Box Turtle is not applicable for the reason that 

 there are several specie^ of Box Turtle and consequently a dis- 

 tinguishing term must be added. 



The Common Box Turtle has the carapace ovate, high arched, 

 globular, keeled, keel especially prominent in young, margin, flaring, 

 notched slightly behind, but not serrate. Plastron transversely 

 hinged before and back of the point of connection with carapace, 

 enabling the animal to close itself completely. Toes not, or scarcely 

 webbed. Colors very variajble, chiefly blackish and yellowish; no 

 two alike in pattern; iris carmine red in male, hind feet with four 

 toes. Head bright ochre, neck duller ochre. Plates of carapace 

 with concentric grooves. Skin within cavities of shell dull chrome 

 to brownish, scales on and between limbs mostly dull orange to 

 brown, tail darker; eyelids brownish. The keeled plates each bear 

 a spot of pale yellow, in the young. All the plates of the carapace 

 in the young are granularly rough. 



"S. E. Pennsylvania and S. W. New Jersey, especially common in 

 Chester and Greene counties, Pennsylvania. No record of it in 

 Pine Barrens. Species seems restricted to a Carolinian fauna." 

 —Stone, p. 170. 



"Can accurately close all parts of shell under load of 500 or 600 

 pounds. Is found chiefly in marshy situations, but occurs also in 

 driest and hottest places. Chiefly sought for its eggs which are 

 reckoned a delicacy." — Shaw, p. 37. 



"Is a very gentle and timid animal. I have seen (May 1), a 

 specimen, measuring 6 inches, in which the coriaceous laminse 

 covering the plates were gradually falling off or shed; leaving the 

 new epidermis completely smooth beneath, with colors of renewed 

 brilliancy, while the old laminae were dull and strongly corrugated. 

 How often does this desquamation occur? Is it the effect of disease, 

 or is it an annual or periodical process?" Common everywhere (N. 

 Y.) on dry land, although also occasionally met with in swamps and 



