FAMILY CHELONID.E. 15 



deeply sculptured by radiating and concentric lines, the latter somewhat waved, which gives 

 to the whole surface a minutely reticulated aspect. The first vertebral plate pentagonal, 

 smooth on the centre of its posterior margin ; the others sub-pentagonal. The first lateral 

 plate four-sided, the internal margin short; the centre of the posterior margin of the last 

 occasionally elevated. Marginal plates twenty-five ; the intermediate one hnear, prominent, 

 often projecting ; the next obscurely pentagonal, projecting at the external angle, the second 

 dilated along the outer margin. The outer edges of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh plates 

 slightly upturned ; the largest are the ninth, tenth and eleventh, with their posterior angles 

 shghtly projecting. Sternum of twelve plates widely and deeply notched behind, depressed 

 in the centre, and with obsolete angular concentric striae on the sides towards the medial line. 

 Scapular plates with a sUght acute tip at the outer angles, projecting a little beyond the mar- 

 gin, as does likewise the femoral beyond the caudal ; the humeral and abdominal plates united 

 to the meirginal, without any intermediate plates. Head moderate, flattened above ; upper 

 jaw emarginate, robust, the lower hooked. Neck rather long. Legs robust, scaly ; feet pal- 

 mate, the anterior with five and the posterior with four very stout claws. Tail short, large at 

 the base, cylindrical, scaly, tapering, sub-compressed to an acute tip. 



Color, of the whole shell, brown, tinged with reddish, and with radiating, abbreviated 

 yellow lines ; edges of the marginal plates horn-color. Sternum and under side, the marginal 

 plates yellow, with black blotches near their posterior and lateral margins. Under portions of 

 the neck, feet and tail, red, speckled with black ; often a yellow line on each side of the neck. 

 Eyes with a black pupil and brown irides, surrounded by a yellow ring. 



Total length, ITO. Length of the tail, .. . TG. 



Lengthof the shell,. 6*5. Height of the shell, . . 2*7. 



This is not one of the largest dimensions. Mr. Say speaks of one of which the shell was nine 

 inches long, and I have heard of another which measured twelve inches. 



We are indebted to Major Le Conte for the first elimination of this species. It is not so 

 exclusively aquatic as most of its congeners, for it is frequently met with in woods at some 

 distance from the water : hence one of its popular names. It is also called the Fresh-water 

 Terrapin, to distinguish it from the E. palustris before described, and which it is thought to 

 resemble in flavor. It is a northern species, extending from near Canada to Pennsylvania. 

 I observed it along the banks of the Raquet and Saranac rivers, in the northern part of the 

 State. In one- specimen S'O long, the caudal plates were serrated on their posterior margin 

 by the extension of the deep angular impressed fines ; the lateral plates were hollowed in 

 their centres ; neck furnished with warts ; color dark greenish, with interrupted radiating 

 yellow lines ; throat and lower side of the legs bright orange. In another, found on a sand 

 beach of Cedar river, one of the sources of the Hudson, with a shell 8 • 5 long, it was more 

 convex, although the vertebral plates were more depressed, and the keel nearly effaced; 

 the sutures were wide, and the plates elevated at the sutures. It is a harmless species ; but 

 when irritated, it will snap repeatedly at the offiender. Little is known of its habits. 



