14 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



rate, depressed above ; upper jaw emarginate. Legs scaly. Fore feet with five slightly- 

 incurved, brownish or black claws, channelled beneath. Of the four hind claws, the one next 

 to the interior is longest. Tail pyramidal, pointed, with a slight prominence along the dorsal 

 line. 



Young. The plates of the sternum and shell with deeply impressed concentric angular lines, 

 covering each plate. Upper surface, when moistened, deep shining black ; the yellow dots 

 confined to the marginal plates, of which there is one on each. Sternum and under sides of 

 the marginal plates rosaceous, or flesh-colored. 



Color. Black or deep brownish black, with distant rounded yellow dots, occasionally with 

 a few orange spots. Head with two or more reddish spots above. Chin and neck dark 

 brown, with irregular reddish spots. Feet dark-colored, reddish within. Sternum yellow 

 horn-color, with dusky brown nearly covering each plate. Marginal plates yellowish beneath. 

 Tail black above, reddish about the region of the vent. 



Length of the shell, 4-0-5-0. 



Ditto of the tail, I'O - 1 -3. 



This is one of our most common tortoises, and offers great varieties in the distribution of 

 its spots. Most generally the lateral plates have but a single spot on each. They vary also 

 exceedingly in the convexity of the shell. Under the name of Speckled Turtle, this little animal 

 is found throughout the Union. It inhabits streams and ponds, giving a preference to such 

 as have a deep muddy bottom. On a warm day, they may be seen on a log or rock, closely 

 huddled together, and basking in the sun ; from this they slip suddenly into the water, on 

 the approach of man. They feed on insects, frogs and worms ; and bury themselves, on the 

 approach of winter, in the mud at the bottom of ponds. It is rare in the Western States. 



THE WOOD TERRAPIN. 



EMV3 insculpta. 



PLATE IV. FIG. 8. — (CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 



Emys scabra. Say, Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad Vol. 4, p. 210. 



Terrapem scabra. BoNAP. Oss. p. 157. 



Testudo insculpla. Le Conte, AlHti. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 3, p. 112. Harlan, Med. and Phys. p. 152. 



Emys pulchdla. Dom. and Bibp.. Hist. Nat. des Rept. Vol. 2, p. 251. 



Wood Tortoise. Storer, Mass. Report, p. 209. 



E. insculpla. HoLBROOK, N. Am. Herpetology, Vol. 3, p. 17, pi. 2; and Vol. 1, p. 87, pi. 13 of 2nd Ed. 



Characteristics. Shell carinate, deeply furrowed by concentric and radiating lines. Plates of 

 the sternum black at the angle formed by their exterior and posterior 

 angles; emarginate behind. Length 8 - 10 inches. 



Description. Shell oval, emarginate behind, depressed on the back, with a distinct carina, 

 more prominent on the anterior and posterior vertebral plate. The surface of all the plates 



