36 CISTUDA CAROLINA. 



After all, the name of clausa is no more characteristic than that of Carolina, 

 though apparently so at first sight; for the power of closing the shell as firmly, 

 belongs equally to the Cistuda amboinensis and Cistuda trifasciata of Gray, as 

 to the Cistuda clausa (Testudo Carolina of Gmelin); yet from Schoepff's high 

 authority as a Herpetologist, most authors have in this followed his example. 

 I am glad, however, to see lately such excellent Herpetologists as Gray and Bell 

 in England, and Dumeril and Bibron of Paris, adhere to the old specific name 

 "Carolina" for this animal. 



Although the form of the Cistuda Carolina, as well as the colour and markings 

 of its shell, differ so much, as has been said above, yet they can all be arranged 

 under certain varieties. Leconte has them as follows: 



"a. Very dark brown, obscurely spotted with yellow, with a few radiating 

 lines of the same; sternum very dark brown, with a few blotches of yellow; top 

 of the head yellow; jaws varied with yellow and black; neck yellowish-cinereous, 

 spotted with yellow. 



"/?. With larger and more distinct spots of yellow, some of them confluent 

 and sub-radiating. Sternum yellow; jaws yellow, striped with black; top of the 

 head mostly yellow; sides of the neck black, striped with yellow; throat yellow, 

 varied with black. 



"y. Shell brown, the plates marked with concentric striae, and with numerous 

 round ^nd oblong spots of yellow; keel yellow; sternum yellow, unspotted; head 

 and neck black, spotted above, and varied on the sides with orange; chin and 

 throat yellow; jaws yellow, the upper one slightly marked with brown. This is 

 the Testudo virgulata of Daudin. 



"S. Smooth, yellowish-brown, with a few indistinct spots of dark brown; 

 sternum yellow, unspotted; skin cinereous-brown; fore legs darker; top of the 

 head yellowish; jaws orange, the lower one marked with one or two dusky spots. 



