I i 



Observations on the Chelonians 



of North America. II. 

 DR. R. W. 5HUFELDT, C. M. Z. 5. 



Right Lateral View of Lesueur's Terrapin 



In my first article of this series of brief 

 contributions on our native chelonians, a 

 short account was presented of Bell's 

 Terrapin of the genus Chrysemys. This 

 group will be taken up again later, as it 

 embraces many interesting species of 

 wide distribution ; for the present they 

 are passed by, in that a more or less 

 nearly related genus may be touched 

 upon. This is the genus Malacoclemniys, 

 which up to date is said to comprise some 

 half a dozen species. Generally they are 

 of good size, the largest forms attaining a 

 length of a foot or more. Besides the' 

 famous and very widely known Diamond- 

 backed Terrapin (M. palustris), we have 

 in this interesting assemblage such ele- 

 gant types as the Geographic Terrapin 

 (M. geographica) ; Kohn's Terrapin (M. 



kohnii) ; Maur's Terrapin (M. pulchra) ; 

 Lesueur's Terrapin (M. lesu urii), and 

 the Ocellated Terrapin (M. oculifera^. 



While these six species differ consider- 

 ably, in some instances, do not depart so 

 very much from certain species of the 

 genera Chrysemys. Popularly, as in the 

 case of the latter, they are known as 

 "sliders," and they are sold in many of 

 our markets under that name, a prominent 

 contradistinction being seen in the "Dia- 

 mond-back," large examples of which 

 often sell at the stalls for no less than 

 eight dollars. 



One of the species of this genus is but 

 rarely seen away from its range, and that 

 is Lesueur's Terrapin, listed above. Re- 

 cently Mr. Edward S. Schmid has re- 

 ceived a large consignment of these from 



