44 



TESTUDO POLYPHEMUS, 



Sternum is dirty yellow; the head is darker than the shell, sometimes almost black; 

 the upper jaw is brown, the lower jaw yellowish; the neck and anterior extremities 

 are dusky above, dirty yellow below; the posterior extremities simply dusky in 

 colour. 



Dimensions. Length of shell, 14| inches; sternum, 121 inches; thigh, 2k inches; 

 leg, to the centre of the sole of the foot, 2i inches. 



Geographical Distribution. The most northern limit of the Gopher is the 

 western border of South Carolina; they are numerous in Edgefield and Barnwell 

 districts, whence they extend through Georgia, Alabama, and the Floridas. 

 According to Le Sueur they are brought to the New Orleans market, though 

 probably not from the immediate neighbourhood. 



Habits. They select dry and sandy places, are generally found in troops, and 

 are very abundant in pine barren countries. They are gentle in their habits, 

 living entirely on vegetable substances; they are fond of the sweet potato, (Con- 

 volvulus Batatas,) and at times do much injury to gardens, by destroying melons, 

 as well as bulbous roots, &ic. &c. In the wild state they are represented as 

 nocturnal animals, or as seeking their food by night; when domesticated, and I 

 have kept many of them for years, they may be seen grazing at all hours of the 

 day. When first placed in confinement they chose the lowest part of the garden, 

 where they could most easily burrow; this spot being once overflowed by salt 

 water in a high spring tide, they migrated to the upper part, nearly eighty yards 

 distant, and prepared anew their habitations. They seldom wandered far from 

 their holes, and generally spent part of the day in their burrows. They delighted 

 in the sun in mild weather, but could not support the intense heat of our summer 

 noons; at those hours they retreated to their holes, or sought shelter from the 

 scorching rays of the sun under the shade of broad-leaved plants: a tanyer, (Arum 

 esculentum,) that grew near their holes, was a favourite haunt. They could not 

 endure rain, and retreated hastily to their burrows or to other shelter at the coming 

 on of a shower. As winter approached they confined themselves to the immediate 



