660 REPTILES — EMTDID^. 



Carapax above jet black, -with uumerone, irregular, yellow, more or leas ooDflnent 

 blotches, giving it in places the appearance of a black and yellovr marblicg, bat often 

 the yellow is entirely wanting; plastron sometimes yellow, but nanally black, each 

 plate usaally with its inner and anterior border somewhat yellow ; head and nape black, 

 often with reddish or yellow blotches; lower mandible yellow; gnlar region yellow, 

 nsnally more or less clouded with dark ; head above covered with a soft skin ; feet and 

 tail scaly ; tympanum and nostrils large ; lower jaw with a small hook ; commiasOl'e of 

 mouth much curved ; neck long ; eyes large ; marginal plates twenty four or twenty- 

 five ; costals large, the first largest, the second and third nearly quadrilateral, the fourth 

 rhombic ; first vertebral four-sided, broadest anteriorly, last septagonal, the four lower 

 sides short, to articulate with the four posterior marginals, the remaining three sides 

 about twice as long, the upper border rounded or prtjecting; the remaining neural 

 plates hexagonal, the anterior and posterior borders nearly twice the length of the 

 lateral ; costal and vertebral plates alternating ; carapax entire in front, notched 

 behind ; plastron elliptical, entire anteriorly but broadly notched posteriorly ; sternal 

 shields all four-sided except the galar, which are triangular, with the most acute angle 

 posteriorly ; tail rather small ; toes five in front and four behind. Length of carapax, 

 9 iachas ; length of neck and head, S^ inches ; height of carapax, Sf inches ; tail from 

 anus, 2 inches. 



Habitat, New Hampshire, Maesachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois. 



The Emys mdeagris seems to be rare everywhere. It was described by 

 Dr. Holbrook as coming from the prairies of Illinois, and afterwards 

 noted by Dr. Storer as found along the Fox River. It has been subse- 

 quently seen in various parts of the states named, and, though as yet I 

 have no knowledge of its having been observed in Ohio, its range is such, 

 having been found at Ann Arbor, Michigan, among other places, that I 

 doubt not it will be detected in the State. The most northern limit at 

 which it has been observed is, I believe, Haverhill, New Hampshire, and 

 Racine, Wisconsin, the former being in latitude 44° 



Being somewhat longer than its European analogue, Emys luiaria, it has 

 been needlessly confounded with Cistudo clausa, from which it may 

 readily be distinguished by its upper mandible being notched at the 

 apex, and the absence of a downward curve or hook of the beak. The 

 carapax is also much longer and devoid of the keel, and the plastron with 

 its transverse movable suture less marked, and its posterior end broadly 

 notched or truncated, thus rendering the anal plates four-sided instead of 

 triangular. 



A specimen before me had the carapax marked eleven years ago, and 

 has lost one limb, the wound of which has healed perfectly. 



GBtros NANEMY8. Agassiz. 



Upper jaw with a notch at apex ; lower mandible arched upwards ; snout rounded, 

 not laterally compressed; oarapax ecarinate, considerably arched and elongated; 

 plates of plastron immovable, united togetker and to the oarapax ; neck and legs scaly. 



