SMALL MUD TORfOtSE, 
' !f i " ' " • • — 
The account above referred to, by Edwards^ 
in the Gentleman's Magazine, was sent by 
Mr. Collinson, accompanied by two drawings 
executed by Mr. William Bartram, then aL 
young man, but which seem to have been 
shockingly engraved. 
Mr. Collinson, who signs the communica- 
tion with his name, observes that, though this 
creature is a native of Pennsylvania, it is not 
very common there. He considers it as a non- 
descript animal; not to be met with in Cates- 
by, or any other writer he knows of. " It 
frequents low, swampy meadows : and," says 
Mr. Collinson, *' sometimes takes the water; 
|as we may suppose, from it's back being often 
found covered with green moss. The colour 
lof the shell is various : mostly, of a dark 
.brown, or chesnut; but, sometimes, of a 
greenish cast. The upper shell, or back, is 
composed of thirteen plates, or compartments : 
I one next the head, almost triangular; four 
lozenge ones, which run from this, along the 
midst of the back, down to the tail ; one four- 
sided one over each leg; and two oblong pen- 
.tagonal ones on each side; all which tally 
1 closely 
