614 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



median line and a small red spot in the middle of each of some of 

 the scutes. These color-markings were observable at some dis- 

 tance while the turtles were in the water and made the turtles pos- 

 sessing them objects of peculiar beauty. As the epidermal scutes 

 of these turtles grow oM they occasionally become covered with 

 various growths. An alga which appears to belong to the genus 

 Chaetomorpha grows on the dorsal scutes, and, less frequently, a 

 branched stalked protozoan, Opercularia, grows on the ventral 

 scutes. Sometime during the year, usually in the late summer, the 

 turtles shed these epidermal scutes, and can frequently be seen 

 with some clean new scutes and old overgrown ones. At the end 

 of the shedding period they come forth bright and new, their 

 colors apparently much clearer. In the autumn of 1906 one of 

 these turtles was caught with the alga on it in fruit, the base of the 

 alga being green, while the fruiting tips had a reddish cast. 



There is considerable variation in the epidermal scutes of this 

 turtle, one frequently being added irregularly. An example caught 

 in 1906 had 2 additional triangular scutes, symmetrically placed 

 at the anterior corners of the anterior dorsal scute. In some cases 

 the anterior marginal scute, and those on each side of it are orna- 

 mented with peculiar serrations. 



Excepting the musk and spotted turtles this is the smallest spec- 

 ies found in this region. Its maximum length is about 6 inches 

 and the maximum weiglit three-quarters of a pound. The follow- 

 ing table gives the weights and measurements of a number ex- 

 amined : 



MEASUREMENTS OF PAINTED TURTLES 



Several young seen May 22 were each about the size of a silver 

 quarter. 



