TURTLES OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
5 
the upper shield is dark brown ; the head is black with two 
yellow stripes on each side ; the tail is small. The nose is 
pointed and snaps at an intruder with all the viciousness of the 
snapping turtle. The plastron is small and is hinged just in 
front of its junction with the carapace allowing the forward 
portion to be moved. The eggs are elliptical, nearly twice as 
long as thick and have very thick shells. 
Chrysemis picta or painted turtle is one of our most common 
tortoises. The length of a full grown specimen is about eight 
inches . the back is brownish black with sometimes a greenish 
cast, each plate being lighter around the edge. The margin of 
the carapace is ornamented with red and yellow lines. The 
plastron is large and yellow. The head is black with yellow 
lines on the sides. 
Chelopus guttatus or spotted turtle is a little smaller than the 
preceding with which it is commonly found. The general color 
is black with yellow spots scattered irregularly over the back 
The plastron is mottled with black and yellow. 
The tortoises described are aquatic and carnivorous in their 
habits. The other two that are found in the state are terres¬ 
trial and herbivorous, largely, if not entirely. 
Chelopus insculptus or wood turtle is next to our largest 
species, attaining a length of nearly a foot. The general color 
of the carapace is brown, sometimes shading into yellow. 
Each plate is embossed in such a way as to resemble a shell. 
The plastron is yellow with a black blotch on each plate. A 
specimen that I kept in confinement a part of two seasons 
fasted for several weeks after being caught, but was finally 
brought to his appetite by ripe strawberries. After that he 
would eat almost any soft vegetable food. A tub of water, 
sunk in the ground, furnished him with drink, but he had no 
other use for it until cold weather, when he went to the bottom 
of the tub and staid there. Tub, turtle and all were removed 
to the cellar where he slept quietly until thawing weather oc¬ 
curred when he was found crawling about the cellar floor. The 
second season he was placed in a small yard with some rabbits 
