TERRAPENE CLAUSA. 
says that a specimen of the shell in the Paris Museum is ten inches and six 
lines in length, and nearly nine inches broad; dimensions which are fully 
double those of the present species. The description is in other respects so 
slight as to afford no clue to the species intended, so that there really appears 
to he no reason for even believing it to be a box tortoise at all. The Prince of 
Musignano, in his “ Osservazioni sulla Seconda Edizione del Regno Animale ” 
identifies my Terrapene bicolor with this; it is however, in fact, T amboinensis . 
The species called “ La tortue noiratre ” and Testudo nigricans by different 
authors, is also given by the Prince in his list of the synonyms of this species; 
whereas it is a Sternothcerus, and probably identical with my St. Leachianus. 
Mr. Gray has quoted as a synonym “ Terrapene guttata Bell ”; but as I 
never applied such a name to any species, I presume that au thor intended 
<c T. maculata 
We are informed that Terrapene clausa inhabits North America from Hud¬ 
son’s Bay to the Gulf of Florida *. It prefers dry situations, living principally 
in mountains, woods and pine forests. It is eaten, though its flesh is but little 
esteemed; but its eggs, which are of the size of a pigeon s, are said to be deli¬ 
cious. Its food, as has been before observed, is various, and partakes of the 
nature of the land and fresh-water families. It is stated that it may be made 
useful in gardens, by destroying snails and small mice. It has been known 
to live forty-six years, according to the authority of Muhlenberg, as quoted 
by Daudin. 
* Ch. Bonaparte, 1. c. 
