FAMILY CHELONID-E. 15 
deeply sculptured by radiating and concentric lines, the latter somewhat waved, which gives 
to the whole surface a minutely reticulated aspect. The first vertebral plate pentagonal, 
smooth on the centre of its posterior margin; the others sub-pentagonal. The first lateral 
plate four-sided, the internal margin short; the centre of the posterior margin of the last 
occasionally elevated. Marginal plates twenty-five ; the intermediate one linear, prominent, 
often projecting ; the next obscurely pentagonal, projecting at the external angle, the second 
dilated along the outer margin. The outer edges of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh plates 
slightly upturned; the largest are the ninth, tenth and eleventh, with their posterior angles 
slightly projecting. Sternum of twelve plates widely and deeply notched behind, depressed 
in the centre, and with obsolete angular concentric strie on the sides towards the medial line. 
Scapular plates with a slight acute tip at the outer angles, projecting a little beyond the mar- 
gin, as does likewise the femoral beyond the caudal; the humeral and abdominal plates united 
to the marginal, without any intermediate plates. Head moderate, flattened above ; upper 
jaw emarginate, robust, the lower hooked. Neck rather long. Legs robust, scaly ; feet pal- 
mate, the anterior with five and the posterior with four very stout claws. Tail short, large at 
the base, cylindrical, scaly, tapering, sub-compressed to an acute tip. 
Color, of the whole shell, brown, tinged with reddish, and with radiating, abbreviated 
yellow lines ; edges of the marginal plates horn-color. Sternum and under side, the marginal 
plates yellow, with black blotches near their posterior and lateral margins. Under portions of 
the neck, feet and tail, red, speckled with black ; often a yellow line on each side of the neck. 
Eyes with a black pupil and brown irides, surrounded by a yellow ring. 
Total length, ...... 11:0. Length of the tail,... 1°6. 
Length of the shell,. 675. Height of the shell,.. 2°7. 
This is not one of the largest dimensions. Mr. Say speaks of one of which the shell was nine 
inches long, and I have heard of another which measured twelve inches. 
We are indebted to Major Le Conte for the first elimination of this species. It is not so 
exclusively aquatic as most of its congeners, for it is frequently met with in woods at some 
distance from the water: hence one of its popular names. It is also called the Fresh-water 
Terrapin, to distinguish it from the E. palustris before described, and which it is thought to 
resemble in flavor. It is a northern species, extending from near Canada to Pennsylvania. 
I observed it along the banks of the Raquet and Saranac rivers, in the northern part of the 
State. In one specimen 8°0 long, the caudal plates were serrated on their posterior margin 
by the extension of the deep angular impressed lines; the lateral plates were hollowed in 
their centres ; neck furnished with warts ; color dark greenish, with interrupted radiating 
yellow lines ; throat and lower side of the legs bright orange. In another, found on a sand 
beach of Cedar river, one of the sources of the Hudson, with a shell 8-5 long, it was more 
convex, although the vertebral plates were more depressed, and the keel nearly effaced ; 
the sutures were wide, and the plates elevated at the sutures. It is a harmless species; but 
when irritated, it will snap repeatedly at the offender. Little is known of its habits. 
