40 Catalogue of the Reptiles of Connecticut. 



*7. Emys guttata, Schneider, Speckled Tortoise, common. 



*8. Emys insculpta, Le Conte, Wood Tortoise, Stratford and 

 Hartford. 



# 9. Sternothasrus odoratns, Bosc, Musk Tortoise, Stratford, 

 East Hartford, and Stonington. 



*10. Chelonura serpentina, Linn., Snapping Tortoise, common. 



*11. Cistuda clausa, SchoeprT., Lock Tortoise and Box Tor- 

 toise, common. 



*12. Cistuda Blandingii, Holbrook, Blanding's Tortoise, Da- 

 rien. 



*7. Both this and the preceding species are nearly round, until about half 

 grown, and are so unlike in shape to the adults, that were it not for the external 

 markings upon the shells, they might easily be taken for other species. 



*8. The first specimen of this species I received from Cheshire by the hand of 

 Benjamin Brooks, Esq. of Bridgeport. Length of shell 6^ inches, width 5 inches. 

 Since then, I have taken it in the Housatonic near Derby, and find it not very 

 rare. Mr. S. Crofut of Derby assured me that he once laid one of these tortoises 

 on its back upon a rock, and laid a stone on it to retain it in that posture, and 

 three weeks after he found it in that situation as he left it, but apparently as lively 

 and well as ever. He then turned it over and put on the stone again ; and after 

 a great length of time had elapsed, having forgotten it, he found it as well as ever, 

 and then released it. It hobbled off" quite satisfied with the opportunity so to do. 

 Though this savors too strongly of cruelty, it evinces a wonderful capacity of the 

 animal to sustain life under these very trying circumstances. 



*9. I took one of this species in the Housatonic, Sept. 20, 1841, and another in 

 Trumbull, July 25, 1843, — the only specimens I recollect to have seen, and it may 

 therefore be considered rare. It is the smallest of all the family inhabiting New 

 England, at least as yet discovered. 



*10. This species is quite common throughout the state, and is much used as 

 an article of food, and is at times found very large : one taken at Stonington in 

 June last, measured 37£ inches ; shell 16£ inches long and 13 inches wide, and 

 weighed 23£ pounds. Another has since been taken there which weighed 28 

 pounds, as Mr. J. H. Trumbull informs me. 



*11. This is the most beautiful of all the race of tortoises in our country, and 

 the only one with which I am acquainted that is found habitually on land. They 

 live to a great age, if we may trust the markings and dates, often found on their 

 under plates, of which in most instances we have no reason to doubt. I found 

 one some time since, that I had marked when a small lad, — the number of years 

 I do not now recollect, as I then hoped I might be favored to find him again in 

 years subsequent. The covering to this shell is such as to render marking easier 

 and more distinct than that of any other species, and evidently causes the animal 

 no suffering more than even paring the nails. A specimen before me measures 6 

 inches long, and about 4^ wide — a medium size. 



*12. This tortoise, called by Dr. Dekay Blanding's Box Tortoise, is found both 

 east and west of us, (Massachusetts and New York,) it is therefore doubtless an 

 inhabitant of Connecticut. In August 2, 1843, I saw mounted on a stick pro- 

 jecting from a small pond in Darien in this state, a tortoise I took to be this ; I 

 came so near as to be on the point of laying my hand on him, when he slid off 



