The Musk or Mud Turtles 



The range of the Common Mud Turtle must be given as the 

 eastern United States, from New York to the Gulf of Mexico and 

 westward to the Mississippi Valley. It may extend farther west- 

 ward but there appears to be rather a mix-up of western records 

 and a tendency to confuse this with an altogether different species. 



From this habitat, it will be observed that the Common 

 Mud Turtle does not extend as far northward as its common 

 eastern associate and ally the musk turtle, nor does it occur 

 so abundantly as that species. 



Habits. The habits of this species, and, in fact of all of the 

 Mud Turtles, have practically been described under the head 

 of the common musk turtle. The Mud Turtles are at perfect 

 ease for an indefinite time in a deep tank of water without foot- 

 ing or support upon the surface. They are strictly aquatic in 

 habits when in a wild state and prowl about the muddy bottoms 

 of rivers and ponds in the search for food. 



THE LOUISIANA MUD TURTLE 

 Cinosternum louisiana, (Baur) 



This turtle is most nearly allied to C. -pennsylvanicum, but 

 may be recognised by its more elongated shell and pronounced 

 markings of the head arranged in bands. 



Colouration. Upper shell dull olive, the margins of the 

 larger shields narrowly margined with black. Plastron dull 

 yellow. 



The head is strikingly marked and in a fashion that causes 

 the species to differ from all the others of the genus. Beginning 

 at the snout and extending over the eye is a vivid, orange-yellow 

 stripe, which widens and becomes broken at the rear portion of 

 the head, thence continues on the neck as an orange blotch 

 or band. Beginning at the angle of the jaw is a broader stripe 

 of the same colour, running back to the neck. 



Dimensions. The measurements given do not equal the 

 maximum size attained, but illustrate the general proportions 

 of the shell: 



Length of Carapace 3 j j nc h es . 



Width of 2* 



Length of Plastron 



Width, Front Lobe, at Hinge. . " 



Rear ........... \\\ ,| 



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