REVISION OF MALACLEMMYS, A GENUS OF TURTLES. 7 



1831. Gray, John Edward. — Synopsis Reptilium. Parti. Cataphraota, p. 27. 



This author describes Emys concenlriea, giving references to Bosc in Daudin's Histoire Naturelle 

 des Reptiles, Schoepff, Latreille, Gmelin, and Schweigger. The following forms are described: 

 a. livida. Testa livida obscure annulata, Emys ttvida Bell, Mss. 

 Ii. polita. Testa margine revoluta, scutellis nigris politis profunde sulcatis, sterno lutes- 



cente maculis magnis nigris notatot. 

 Junior, testa carinis continuis scutellis sterni nigro marginatis; cute albido cinereo nigro 

 maculate, capite colloque lineis nigris notatis. 

 Habit in America Boreali. 



Continuing he says: "The head of the living animal is very broad and depressed like the 

 Hydraspes, and the neck thick; skin slate colored, black-speckled. In the young specimens the skin is 

 bluish and black-speckled; the forehead is marked with concentric black lines, aftd there are three 

 curved black lines over each ear; the neck is also marked with short black strokes. The polished 

 variety appears very different, but I have seen specimens which unite it with the common state of the 

 species." 



Tin- latter part of this description, at least, undoubtedly applies to some other turtle than the 

 diamond-back, probably to some South American species. The forms described under a and h are 

 indeterminable, as no localities are assigned, and the descriptions are such as to make it uncertain 

 whether they belong to this species at all. 



1834. Bell, Thos. — Monograph of the Testudinata. 



• No copy of this work has been accessible to me, and I am therefore unable to cite the page or 

 plate referring to the present species. From the fact that four of the plates depicting Emys concentrica 

 and intended for this work were published later, by Sowerby and Lear, it is probable that the matter 

 in Bell's Monograph is of little value. 



1835. DrMERiL, A. M. C. et Bibron, G. — Erpetologie Generale ou Histoire Naturelle des Reptiles. 

 On pp. L'til-L'iiii, Vol. II, is a detailed description of Emys concentrica Gray. The authors regard 



this species as one of the most variable known to them, and describe three varieties, A, B, and ('. 



based on the colors of the head, neck, legs, shell, and the markings. The material evidently came 



from numerous localities, and the distribution of the species is given as extending from New York to 



Florida. 



1842. Holbrook, J. E. — North American Herpetology. Second edition, Vol. I, pp. 87-91, pi. xn. 



Emys terrapin Schoepff. The author gives a detailed description of M. cenirata, in which he refers 

 to the very large head and the frequent greenish color of the head and shell. The specimens were 

 evidently from South Carolina. The distribution given is from Rhode Island to Florida and the Gulf 

 nf Mexico (northern shores), and this species is stated to be the only one common to both North and 

 South America. 



The plate gives two views of an animal which is unmistakably the < 'arolina terrapin, .1/. i; ntrntn. 

 The predominating color is greenish; the bead is large and heavy. 



1842. De Kay, J. E.— Fauna of New York, Part II, pp. 10, 11. 



The species figured in plate 23 is the characteristic northern form of Malaclemmys centrata 

 concentrica. The concentric markings on the plates of the carapace are strongly brought out. Emits 

 palustris and Emys terrapin are described, the former being called the "salt-water terrapin" and the 

 latter the "smooth terrapin." 



Of Emys palustris the author says: " It is well distinguished as the salt-water terrapin, for it is 

 found exclusively in salt or brackish streams near the seashore. They bury themselves in the mud 

 during the winter, from which they are taken in great numbers, and are then very fat. The 

 geographical limits of this species extend from the Gulf of Mexico along the Atlantic to New York. 

 They are found along the northern shores of Long Island to its extremity, but 1 am not informed 

 whether it occurs on the opposite main shore. Dr. Storer does not mention it in his valuable report 

 on the Reptiles of Massachusetts. The Prince of Canino has introduced this species into Italy, but I 

 have not learned with what success." 



Of Emi/s terrapin he says: " I am indebted to Major Le Conte for a tigure and note, pointing out 

 the distinctive marks between this and the preceding species '■ *. They are brought to our 



