Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Surveij G09 



keel being rather straight, so that the shell of the young turtle 

 looks somewhat like a roof. The young are covered with delicate 

 reticulations which give pleasing color patterns, but which disap- 

 pear more or less completely in the adult. This is one of the most 

 inoffensive of the turtles and can hardly be induced to bite. 



Carapace ovate, broadest behind, the margins flaring outward, 

 highest near the middle and not strongly convex; carapace strongly 

 notched behind and usually decidedly keeled. Color dark olive 

 brown, with greenish and yellowish streaks and reticulations, es- 

 pecially distinct on neck, legs and edge of carapace; plastron yel- 

 lowish. 



5. ELEGANT TURTLE 



PSEUDEMYS ELEGANS (Wicd) 



This is the rarest as well as the most beautiful turtle occurring 

 about Lake Maxinkuckee. Its habitat extends from the Carolinas 

 to Mexico and in the Mississippi Valley northward to Indiana and 

 northwestward to the Yellowstone. It was described originally 

 from specimens taken near New Harmony, Indiana. According 

 to Dr. Hay it has been found at Mt. Carmel, 111., and in the Tippe- 

 canoe at Winamac. At the latter place Dr. Hay obtained a speci- 

 men about July 1, 1892. There seem to be no other Indiana rec- 

 ords until now. 



During our several seasons at Lake Maxinkuckee we obtained 

 but one specimen of this turtle. This was secured by Mr. Clark 

 June 13, 1901, at the south end of the lake near the small spring, 

 where, about 200 feet from shore, the water was about 3 feet deep 

 and the bottom covered with Chara. The specimen was a very fine 

 one. The length was about 6 inches. We saw the shell of a sec- 

 ond example in a shop in Culver. It had been caught in a trap in 

 Lost Lake, and the carapace was 9.5 inches long and 7 inches 

 across. 



We know but little of the habits of this fine turtle. It is prob- 

 ably entirely aquatic. 



It may be known from the following description : 



Shell broad and depressed ; carapace serrated behind, a slight 

 emargination in each scute and deeper ones between them. 



Color of carapace olive, with lines and spots of yellow and 

 black, the lines running mostly lengthwise on the vertebral scutes, 

 and transversely on the costals ; a yellow band of varying width 

 down the middle of each costal scute, parallel with other lines and 

 bands of black and yellow, some narrow, some wide ; on the upper 

 and lower surfaces of marginal scutes are spots consisting of con- 



