CHELONIAN KEPTILES. 



399 





,'' Large, truncate at tlie end and formed" 

 I for walking only, and having the I 

 I toes united into a common mass as I 

 far as the nails .... 



lAND-TORTOISES. 



Flattened and pro- 

 vided with distinct 

 toes, simply united <| ^ 

 by a palmate mem- Complete, cara-] 

 brane, which is , 



I 



Flattened, in the foi-m of lar^e swim 

 ming paddles, and not having; the 

 toes externally distinct . 



r Incomplete, ca-l 



rapax furnish- J POND-TORTOISES. 

 ed with scales 



pax covered ( 

 with a soft j 

 skin . . .! 



RIVER TORTOISES. 



SEA-TORTOISES, OR 

 TURTLES. 



The Turtles ( Chelmidx , are very remarkable on account of the 

 structm-e of their limbs. The feet, thou-h the toes are composed of 

 distmct pieces, and armed with sharp claws, are changed into flat 

 depressed fins, only fitted for swimmin- an act which they per- 



¥iO. 3.i2.— HAWKSBIl.L TVlilLE. 



form Avith gi-eat vigour and celerity. The fore legs are much lono-er 

 and larger than the hinder ones, and are not retractile witliin thi 

 shell- their carapax is generally heart-shaped and exceedingly flat- 

 water' "" ^^ ^^ ^'^ ^'^''''* ""^ '^^''"^ movement through the 



^po^r^'.f^^'^ principally upon marine plants, and only leave the 

 sea to lay their eggs. They swim with great facility, and are some! 

 times met with several hundred miles from land, floating on the 



