14 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 
rate, depressed above ; upper jaw emarginate. Legs scaly. Fore feet with five slightly 
incurved, brownish or black claws, channelled beneath. Of the four hind claws, the one next 
to the interior is longest. T'ail pyramidal, pointed, with a slight promimence along the dorsal 
line. 
Young. The plates of the sternum and shell with deeply impressed concentric angular lines, 
covering each plate. Upper surface, when moistened, deep shining black ; the yellow dots 
confined to the marginal plates, of which there is one on each. Sternum and under sides of 
the marginal plates rosaceous, or flesh-colored. 
Color. Black or deep brownish black, with distant rounded yellow dots, occasionally with 
a few orange spots. Head with two or more reddish spots above. Chin and neck dark 
brown, with irregular reddish spots. Feet dark-colored, reddish within. Sternum yellow 
horn-color, with dusky brown nearly covering each plate. Marginal plates yellowish beneath. 
Tail black above, reddish about the region of the vent. 
Ieneth of the*shelly sac2.2-=2- 4°0-5°0. 
Dittosor the) tales aeecoece 1°0-1°3. 
This is one of our most common tortoises, and offers great varieties in the distribution of 
its spots. Most generally the lateral plates have but a single spot on each. ‘They vary also 
exceedingly in the convexity of the shell. Under the name of Speckled Turtle, this little animal 
is found throughout the Union. It inhabits streams and ponds, giving a preference to such 
as have a deep muddy bottom. On a warm day, they may be seen on a log or rock, closely 
huddled together, and basking in the sun; from this they slip suddenly into the water, on 
the approach of man. ‘They feed on insects, frogs and worms; and bury themselves, on the 
approach of winter, in the mud at the bottom of ponds. It is rare in the Western States. 
THE WOOD TERRAPIN. 
EMys INSCULPTA. 
PLATE IV. FIG. 8. — (CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 
Emys scabra. Say, Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. Vol. 4, p. 210. 
Terrapena scabra. Bonar. Oss. p. 157. 
Testudo insculpta. Le Conte, Ann. Lyc. N. Y. Vol. 3, p. 112. Haran, Med. and Phys. p. 152. 
Emys pulchella. Dum. and Bier. Hist. Nat. des Rept. Vol. 2, p. 251. 
Wood Tortoise. StToRER, Mass. Report, p. 209. 
E. insculpta. Hovprooxk, N. Am. Herpetology, Vol. 3, p. 17, pl. 2; and Vol. 1, p. 87, pl. 13 of 2nd Ed. 
Characteristics. Shell carinate, deeply furrowed by concentric and radiating lines. Plates of 
the sternum black at the angle formed by their exterior and posterior 
angles; emarginate behind. Length 8 - 10 inches. 
Description. Shell oval, emarginate behind, depressed on the back, with a distinct carina, 
more prominent on the anterior and posterior vertebral plate. The surface of all the plates 
