26 KINOSTERNONPENNSYLVANICUM. 



Dimensions. Length of shell, 3 J inches; breadth of shell, 2 inches 10 lines; 

 elevation. If inches; length of sternum, 3 inches 2 lines. 



Habits. The Kinosternon pennsylvanicum abounds in ponds or muddy pools, 

 feeding on small fish and such other aquatic animals as it can secure. It takes 

 the hook readily, and is therefore very troublesome to anglers; seizing the bait 

 so cautiously, that it is frequently some minutes before it is fairly hooked, when 

 it struggles violently. The living animal has a slight odour of musk that is not 

 disagreeable. 



Geographical Distribution. The Kinosternon pennsylvanicum is found in the 

 Atlantic states from Cape Florida to latitude 41°; beyond this I have not heard 

 of its existence; and Hitchcock, in his Geology of Massachusetts, probably mistook 

 the Sternotheerus odoratus for the Kinostei-non pennsylvanicum. It is also abundant 

 in the west; Troost has observed it in Tennessee and Kentucky, and Say has seen 

 it high up the Missouri. 



General Remarks. Edwards first described this animal from a specimen 

 furnished him by John Bartram, of Pennsylvania, and gave of it three figures in 

 his Gleanings of Natural History. These figures were done from life; and although 

 they are not very beautiful, yet they are sufficiently accurate, and have been 

 copied by several Naturalists. Although this may be considered as the earliest 

 notice of the animal, yet the first full and accurate description is in the Historia 

 Testudinum of Schoepf, taken from an individual sent him by Muhlenberg, also of 

 Pennsylvania. 



Naturahsts have experienced some difficulty in assigning the Kinosternon 

 pennsylvanicum to its proper place. Brogniart first separated it from the genus 

 Testudo and referred it to that of Emys, to which it certainly does not belong. 

 Flemming* next placed it in the genus Cistuda, established by himself, with the 



* Philosophy of Zoology, vol. ii. p. 270. 



