496 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



8. Emys hlandingii (Holbrook). 

 Blanding's Tortoise. 



This species occurs from Ngav England westward to Illinois. It is found 

 In southern Canada, but is not known from the southern states. 



It is nowhere abundant; indeed, in most parts of its range it must be re- 

 garded as a rare species. In Indiana it is known only from the lakes in the 

 northern part of the state. It has been recorded from Lagrange and Steuben 

 Counties (Levette), Lake Maxinkuckee (Hay), Rochester (Gould) and Eng- 

 lish Lake. Only one specimen has previously been recorded from Lake 

 Maxinkuckee; this was obtained by Dr. O. P. Hay in May, 1891. 



It is apparently as common about lake Maxinkuckee as anywhere in the 

 state. Our notes record no fewer than 1 1 examples as having been collected 

 or observed b^' us in the neighborhood. The definite dates are as follows: 



March 29, 1901, one caught on west side of lake near the small pond at 

 the elevator; April 4, one was taken in Green's flat; A]>ril 9, one taken in a 

 ditch east of tamarack swamp; May 17, one caught climbing the bank in 

 front of Assembly' grounds, and another near same place next day; May 20, 

 a large one found in Hank's marsh ; May 22, two taken near tamarack swamp ; 

 July 29, 1905, a large one caught in a kettle hole swamp in Walley's woods; 

 September 11, one seen hi a ditch between Arlington and Belong; September 

 14, a large example in Plauk's marsh; November 4, several large examples, 

 some about 9 or 10 inches long, found dead on Yellow River west of Knox. 

 They had beyn killed by pearl hunters. 



Those taken May 17 and 18 were walking about on dry land as if hunting 

 for a nesting site. We have never seen this species in the lake; it is, rather, 

 an inhabitant of small shallow ponds, marshes and muddy ditches. 



Very little was learned regarding the habits of this turtle. As only one of 

 our specimens was found in the water, all the others being out on the land, 

 it appears that it is somewhat less aquatic that the Speckled Turtle. On 

 May 17 and 18 those observed walking about on the land had apparently 

 come up out o1 the hike. They acted as if hunting nesting sites, though we 

 found none. 



The species is described as follows: 



Shell elongate oval, widest just behind the middle, without keel; carapace 

 not serrated behind; plastron large, entirely closing the shell; head long and 

 wide; limbs and feet scaly; tail scaly, that of male about one-fifth length of 

 shell, that of female shorter. Color dark green to black, each scute with 

 several round, triangular or o])long spots of yellow or orange, the marginal 

 ones largest, all sometimes wanting; ))lastron yellow, with the outer posterior 

 portion with a brown blotch which sometimes covers the whole scute; head 

 and neck abo\e and along sides dusky, with numerous yellow dots; chin, 

 throat and under side of neck jellow; legs yellow, with brown mottlings; 

 tail striped longitudinally with yellow and brown. Length 9 inches or less. 



