104 Species of North American Tortoises. 



spots,) scapular plates triangular, extending beyond the others, 

 with a small projection at the exterior angle directed forwards ; 

 caudal plates triangular, with the posterior side rounded, the 

 rest quadrangular. Skin dark brown or dusky, neck very 

 long ; head and neck above, with numerous longitudinal stripes 

 of yellow, four of them extending the whole length of the 

 neck, and very distinct ; the rest, except a very short one in 

 the middle between the eyes, rather indistinct ; cheeks striped 

 in the same manner with a bright yellow line reaching from 

 the top of the eye to the tympanum, and another broader one 

 from the bottom of the eye dilated at its extremity, and turn- 

 ing towards the throat ; jaws, chin, and throat yellow ; jaws 

 striped with dusky, chin with transverse waving lines of the 

 same, throat striped with brighter yellow ; eyes yellow, with a 

 broad black stripe through the middle. Legs and tail scaly ; 

 fore legs dusky, yellow on the inner half, and sometimes striped 

 with yellow ; hind legs and tail, beneath yellow, the latter 

 striped above with the same. Feet palmate, five-toed; 

 claws 5-4. 



Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve. 



Length of the shell eight inches, height three inches and a 

 half : length of the head and neck, four inches. 



Inhabits in ponds of the southern states, whence it was first 

 brought to the notice of naturalists by the late Mr. Bosc. It 

 has not been observed further north than Fayetteville, in North 

 Carolina. It is most remarkable for the extraordinary length 

 of its neck, which when protruded from the water, exactly 

 resembles the upper extremity of a serpent. Flesh very 

 good. 



