FAMILY CHELONID.E. '25 



This beautiful species, which is designated in this State under the names of Box Tortoise 

 and Lcnul Turtle, and in the west by the name of Lock Tortoise, is a very sfcntlo and timid 

 animal. It varies so much in its colors, that it is difficult to find any two alike. Major 

 Le Conte has a scries of drawings, exhibiting many remarkable varieties in color : One was 

 of a uniform black ; and from this to the brilliant colored individual figured in the plate, a 

 regular transition could be traced. He has enumerated five varieties, but they are almost 

 innumerable. In common with many observers, I had considered the angular and concentric 

 striae on the plates as constant characters. I have lately seen (May 1) a specimen, apparently 

 of an adult, measuring six inches, in which the thin corneous laminre covering the plates 

 were gradually dropping off, or shed ; leaving the new epidermis completely smooth beneath, 

 witii colors of renewed brilliancy, while the old lamini^ were dull and strongly cornigated. 

 How often does this desquamation occur ? Is it the effect of disease, or is it an annual or 

 periodical process ? In this case, the desquamation was confined to the two middle dorsal, 

 and to two lateral plates on one side, and to three on the other. The sutures between the 

 plates, which had not desquamated, were of that deep character usually supposed to designate 

 old age ; but at the places where the desquamation had occurred, the sutures were as narrow 

 and as little profound as in young individuals. 



The Box Tortoise is common every where on dry land, although it is also occasionally met 

 with in swamps and moist places. It never takes to the water from choice, and indeed would 

 be drowned if retained there. It is frequently kept in cellars, imder the notion that it drives 

 away or destroys rats and other domestic vermin. One which I kept in my cellar, was found 

 in the spring, eaten up by the rats. It feeds on insects, fruit, and the edible mushrooms. Its 

 gcogi'aphical range appears to be from Canada to Florida. It is rare in Ohio. In this lati- 

 tude, it usually goes into winter quarters in the latter part of September. 



BLANDING'S BOX TORTOISE. 



CiSTUDA BLANDINGII. 



PLATE I. FIG. 2. 



Cistmla Uniuhngii. HoLBEOOK, N. Am. Herpelol. Vol, a, p. 34, pi. 5; ami Vol. 1. pi. 39, pi. 3 ol 2d Kd. 

 Blanding's Cistudn. Stoeeb, Massachusells Report, p. 215. 



Characteristics. Shell less elevated than the preceding, ecarinate ; margin entire. Sternum 

 emarginate behind. Lower jaw hooked. Length 7-8 inches. 



Description. Shell smooth, ecarinate. The first vertebral plate pentagonal ; the second and 

 third, hexagonal ; the fourth with seven sides, the last octagonal. Anterior and posterior late- 

 ral plates four-sided, rounded beneath ; the second and third, pentagonal. Marginal plates 

 twenty-five, with an interrupted margin ; the intermediate small ; the first, third, fourth, sixth, 

 eighth, tenth and twelfth plates quadrilateral ; the second, fifth, seventh and ninth, pentago- 

 nal : all are smooth in their centres, with indistinct concentric strias near their borders. Sler- 



Fai'n.v — Part '.i. 4 



