72 CLASS REPTILIA. 



long as the carapace, rather less broad, oval, oblong, rounded 

 in front, and truncated, and almost without indenture behind. 

 The head is flatted at top and sides ; the tail is small and 

 scaly ; the skin of the neck thick, loose, wrinkled, and 

 smooth, not scaly, as SchcepfF has nevertheless stated it 

 to be. 



In adults the carapace is smooth; while in the young, 

 there are scales marked with furrows parallel to their edges, 

 especially at the hinder part of the back and on the sides. 

 Marsigli says, that these furrows are more apparent in the 

 males than in the females. 



The disk of the carapace is occupied by thirteen large 

 plates, five of which are vertebral, and eight on two lateral 

 ranks. The first vertebral plate is pentagonal; the three 

 following are hectagonal ; the last is irregularly pentagonal, 

 and sometimes marked in its centre with a salient ridge. 

 The first lateral plate is large, square, and irregular ; the 

 two following are large, pentagonal, and elongated ; the last 

 is quadrilateral, with curved sides. 



The edge of the carapace is composed of twenty-five plates, 

 all squared. The plastron, or breastplate, is composed of 

 twelve plates. 



The nostrils are small, round, and separated by a slender 

 partition. The feet are covered with scales, and semi- 

 palmate. 



This species is by far the most extended of the genus 

 Emys. It is to be seen in all the south and east of Europe, 

 even as far as Prussia. It has also been observed in Poland, 

 in Italy, in Sardinia, and in Hungary. It is rare in France. 

 Count de Lacepede informs us that it ,is also found in 

 America and Ascension Island. 



It lives in muddy waters and marshes, and feeds on insects, 

 mollusca, small fish, and plants. Its flesh is used as food, 

 and forms an article of sale in many of the German markets. 



