REPTILES. 



(The Coui). A New Holland species, ornamented with nearly as 

 much regularity as the Geometrica, hut which attains a much larger 

 size*. 



In some species, the Pyxis, Bell., the anterior part of the ster- 

 num is moveable like that of the Box Tortoises ; others again, the 

 Kinixys, Id., can move the posterior portion-}-. 



2. Fresh-water Tortoises. — EmysJ, Brongn. 



The fresh-water Tortoises have no other constant characters by which 

 they can be distinguished from the preceding ones, than the greater sepa- 

 ration of the toes, which are terminated by longer nails, and the intervals 

 occupied by membranes; even in this respect there are shades of differ- 

 ence. They likewise have five nails before and four behind. The form 

 of their feet renders their habits more aquatic. Most of them feed on in- 

 sects, small fishes, &c. Their envelope is generally more flattened than 

 that of the land tortoises. 



Test, europcra, Schn. ; T. orbicularis, L. ; Schcepf. pi. 1 §, (The 

 Fresh-water Tortoise of Europe), is the most universally diffused 

 species ; it is found in all the south and east of Europe and as far 

 as Prussia. Its shell is oval, but slightly convex, tolerably smooth, 

 blackish, and every where dotted with yellowish points arranged in 

 radii. It attains the length of ten inches; its flesh is used as food, 

 and it is reared for that purpose with bread, young vegetables, in- 

 sects, &c. Marsigli says its eggs are a year in being hatched. 



Test, picta, Schoepf. pi. iv, (The Painted Tortoise), is one of the 

 most beautiful species ; it is smooth and brown, each plate being- 

 surrounded with a yellow band, which is very broad on the anterior 

 edge. It is found in North America along the shores of brooks, on 

 rocks or trunks of trees, whence it plunges into the water on the first 

 alarm 1 1 . 



* Add, T. stellata, Schcepf. XXV; — T. angulata, Schweig; — T. arcolala, Sch. 

 XXIII;— T.marginata, Sch. XII, 1, 2;—T. dentictdata, Sch. XXVIII, 1;— T.cafra, 

 Schweig; — T. signata, Schw.; — T. carbonaria, Spix,XVI; — T. Hercules, Id. XIV; — 

 T. cagado, Id. XVII;— T. tabulata, Sch. XIII;— T. sculp/a, Spix, XV;— T. nigra, 

 Quoy and Gay m. Voy. de Freycin. Zool. XXXVI 1; — T. depressa, Cuv. j — T. biguttata, 

 Id.; — T. Carolina, Le Conte, &c. (a). 



■\ See the paper of M. Bell., in the Lin. Trans. Vol. XV, part 2, p. 392; in two of 

 these Kinixys which we have seen living, the edges of the joint in the shield were 

 worn away, or as if carious, and to such a degree as to induce a suspicion that there 

 was something morbid in this conformation. 



% From emus, tortoise. 



§ It is the same as the verte et jaunc, Lacep. pi. vi, and his ronde, pi. v; see the 

 Monog. of this species by M. Bojanus, Vilna, I, SI 9, fol. 



II Add, Em. Ivlar'w, Lacep. IV; — Em. Adausonii, Schweig; — Em. senegalensis, 

 Punier.; — Em. subrufa, Lacep. XIII; — Em. contractu, Schweig; — Em. punctata, 

 Schoepf. V ; — Em. reticulata, Daud. ; — Em. rubriventris, Le Conte; — Em.serruta, Daud. 

 II, xxi; — Em. concinna, Le Conte, or geometrica, Lesueur; — Em. geographiea, Le- 

 sueur; — Em. scripta, Schcepf. 111,4; — Em. cinerea, Id. II, 3; — Em.centrata, Daud. 

 or lerrapen, Lin. Schcepf. XV; — Em. concentrica, Le Conte; — Em. odorata, Id.; — Em. 



f$gr (a) This is really the T. Carolina, GmeL, the T. polyphenols of others. — Eng. 

 Er>. 



