CHELONIANS. 4G3 



bellied,) the Ptychemys, (Gr. ptuche, a fold; emys.) rugosa, of 

 Agassiz, is found as far South as Virginia, and North as far as 

 the neighborhood of New York City. It is known by the name 

 of the Red-bellied Terrapin, and as food is prized by epicures. 

 Length from ten to seventeen inches. (Agassiz says fifteen 

 inches.) 



Emys concmna, (Lat. polished, beautiful,) is a handsome spe 

 cies, found in Georgia ; in length, according to Agassiz, fifteen 

 inches. This, and the preceding species, are the rarest of the 

 family. 



E. concentrica, is found both in North and South America. 

 New York is said by DeKay to be its northern limit. It gives 

 the preference to salt-water marshes, and is therefore called the 

 SALT-WATER TERRAPIN. The flesh of this species is in particu 

 lar request for the table. The plates of the carapace are olive- 

 green, with concentric lines of brown, whence the specific name, 

 concentrica. Sometimes it is called E. palustris. These Tortoises 

 bury themselves in rnud during the winter ; they are then very 

 fat, and taken in large numbers.^ The length is from seven to 

 ten inches. 



E. picta, (Lat. painted,) or Clirysemys, (Gr. gold-colored Emys,) 

 picta, Ag., is probably the most essentially aquatic Tortoise 

 of the entire family ; in fact, it soon perishes, if removed from 

 the water. The PAINTED EMYS (see Chart) is very common in 

 the United States, but on account of the ill flavor of its flesh, 

 never used for food. The plates of the carapace, which is con 

 siderably depressed, are of a deep brown color; the plastron is 

 of a yellow or gold color. For the variety and beauty of its 

 markings, this may be esteemed the handsomest of all the fresh 

 water Tortoises. It seems to enjoy much the rays of the sun, 

 and sometimes floats in the water with the head just emerging 

 from the shell, luxuriating in the genial temperature. It inhab 

 its stagnant ponds or lakes, and is never found in rivers or run 

 ning streams. Its length is from five to nine inches. When 

 young, its contour is circular rather than oval. It is remarkably 

 slow in coming to maturity, not laying eggs before it is seven 

 years old. 



E, guttata, (Lat. speckled,) the SPOTTED TORTOISE, is a small 

 species found throughout the Union. Its length is about four 

 inches. The carapace is black, or deep brownish black, with 

 distant rounded yellow dots, occasionally with a few orange 

 spots. It shows a preference for streams and ponds which have 

 a muddy bottom. On a warm day, Speckled Tortoises may be 

 seen basking in the sun, on a log or rock ; but on the approach 



