Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 605 



The Musk Turtle may be known from the following description : 

 Carapace rather long and narrow, the outline rising gradually 

 from the front to a point beyond the center, then abruptly de- 

 scending, the bulk of the body, therefore, thrown backwards; 

 margin of carapace turning downward and inward rather than 

 outward; shell dusky, clouded, sometimes spotted; neck with two 

 yellow stripes, one from above the eye, the other from below it; 

 head very large, with strong jaws ; carapace with traces of a keel. 

 Length 6 inches or less. 



4. MAP TURTLE 

 GRAPTEMYS GEOGRAPHICA (LeSueur) 



The Map Turtle is found from the Mississippi Valley eastward 

 to New York, but is more common in the western part of the range. 

 It is common everywhere in the lakes and larger streams of In- 

 diana. 



At Lake Maxinkuckee it is by far the most abundant turtle and 

 is found in all parts of the lake ; the heads may often be seen stick- 

 ing up above the surface even in the deeper portions of the lake. 

 Like most of the other turtles of the lake, however, they prefer 

 shallow bays. Examples have been taken almost everywhere about 

 the shores of the Jake. It occurs in both lakes, in the lagoons be- 

 tween them, in the Inlet and Outlet, and perhaps also in the smaller 

 streams about the lake. It does not travel far from shore, and is 

 not found in the pools and woodland ponds of the region. 



The Map Turtle makes its appearance swimming at the surface 

 or basking, early in the spring; the first seen in 1901 was on April 

 27, and they were seen in gradually increasing numbers from that 

 time on. They are very abundant from May to August or Sep- 

 tember. They are essentially aquatic in their habits and are never 

 seen away from the water except when laying their eggs. Though 

 most numerous near the shore and in protected bays, they may 

 often be seen far from shore out in the lake, slowly swimming 

 about or quietly resting at the surface. When approached, they 

 sink silently beneath the surface, swim slowly a short distance, 

 again come up and rest with head above the water as before. In 

 our seining operations about the lake small map turtles were taken 

 at nearly every haul. They were particularly abundant in the 

 patches of Scirpus and on sandy bottom covered with a growth of 

 Chara. They were less common among the Potamogetons, Myrio- 

 phyllum and Ceratophyllum. A few can usually be seen on any 

 log, board or other floating object of sufficient size and stability, 



