156 HERPETOLOGY OF MICHIGAN. 



large, closiug the opening of the carapace with which it is united hy 

 a ligament. Plastron divided into two movable lobes, the hinge 

 line between the abdominal and pectoral scutes. Snout not pro- 

 jecting; the upper jaw drawn down in front to form a beak, the 

 lower jaw turned upward at the tip. 



The colors of the carapace are yellow and brown or black. The 

 arrangement is very variable and either the lighter or darker colors 

 may predominate. The head, neck, limbs and tail are brown, 

 spotted with yellow. The plastron is also very variable in colora- 

 tion. It mav be uniformlv brown or black, and the brown or black 

 may be spotted with yellow, or the yellow may be the predomina- 

 Tiug color and the brown or black reduced to irregular blotches. 



Hah its and Hahitat: The box turtle differs from other Michigan 

 turtles in being strictly terrestial. Xo notes are available on the 

 habitats preferred by the sjiocies in Michigan, but Ditmars (1907, 

 ()1) makes the general statement that it is "most abundant in situa- 

 tions where open, grassy spots alternate in sparse thickets. The 

 food consists largely of vegetable matter and berries, though the 

 larvae of insects are eaten as well as earthwoiniis and slugs. Dur- 

 ing the periods when blackberries ripen many specimens show un- 

 mistakable evidence of feasting by their stained mandibles and fore- 

 feet." 



Holbrook (1842, I, 34) states that it feeds on "insects, crickets, 

 etc., and according to Leconte, on fungous plants, as the Clavaria, 

 etc. When in confinement and it can easil}^ be domesticated, it 

 eats readily whatever is offered, as bread, potatoes, apples, etc." 

 Surface (1908, 175-176) has examined stomachs of 40 specimens 

 and tabulated the results as follows : 



