OP ARTS AND SCIElNCE^S. 49 



widest behind. The margin in some species is inclined to flare 

 outward and upward. The plastron is large and covers the en- 

 tire under side of the bod}^ In two of our species it is hinged. 



3. Cliryseniys Gray. 



This genus contains one species in New Hampshire, C. pic- 

 ta, Hermann. The Painted Turtle is one of our most common 

 species. It is found everywhere in ponds, brooks and ditches. 

 There is hardly a mudhole that does not contain at least one. 

 The marginal plates, especially on the under side, are marked 

 with bright red which fades away changing to yellow after death. 

 The plastron is a rich yellow. This turtle attains a length -of 

 about eight inches. The eggs are ellipsoidal and have soft shells. 



4. Clenimys Wagler. 



This genus includes two species. C. insculptus, lyeConte, or 

 "Wood Tortoise, is our only common turtle that lives exclusively 

 on land in summer. It drinks water freely but the adults at least 

 have no other use for it until cold weather approaches when they 

 descend to the bottom of a pond or brook and burrow in the mud- 

 It is a vegetable feeder. A specimen that I kept for a portion 

 of two seasons ate nothing for a while but was brought to his 

 appetite by ripe strawberries. After that he would eat alhiost 

 any soft vegetable food. Placed in a pen with some rabbits, he 

 repeated the old fable in a revised form by climbing the poultry 

 netting that served as a fence and escaping while his long-legged 

 companions stayed behind. 



The carapace is somewhat carinated. The color is brown, 

 sometimes merging into yellow. Each plate is embossed in such 

 a way as to resemble a shell. The plastron is large and yellow 

 with a black blotch on each plate. This species is about a foot 

 in length when full grown. The eggs are ellipsoidal, with rather 

 thin shells though not so soft as those of the previous species. 



C. guttatus, Schneider, is commonly known as the Spotted Tor- 

 toise. Its black carapace with numerous yellow spots, varying 



