TORTOISES. 49 
(T. mauritanica) and the Greek Tortoise are imported into this 
country in great numbers from Africa, They frequently arrive 
packed in barrels. Many people buy these Reptiles under the 
idea that they will eat the slugs of their kitchen gardens, and 
then are made a little unhappy by discovering that they are 
eating or destroying, instead, their finest lettuces and their 
choicest strawberries. Their ravages, however, may be entirely 
- prevented by boring a small hole in the hinder margin of their 
carapace, through which one end of a piece of string may be 
fastened, while the other end is made secure to a stick driven into 
the ground, or to a staple in either atree or wall. A small swivel 
will lessen the chance of the twisting of the cord. I have at 
present an American Freshwater Tortoise, which has a hole 
already bored in its shell, so that in all probability it has been 
tethered near or in its native stream or pond. 
Two llin. boards placed on their edges at right angles in a 
corner of a sunny part of a walled garden, and an inverted box 
with an end knocked out, covered with a large slate, or some such 
contrivance, as a shelter from rain and cold, will make a very con- 
venient open-air Vivarium for Land Tortoises. Land Tortoises 
do no good in a garden, but if one of the above methods of limit- 
ing their wanderings be adopted they will do no harm. They 
are interesting creatures, and well worth the very little trouble 
they necessitate. Mine, however, have their liberty and do on the 
whole no very appreciable damage. In many countries, the Land 
Tortoises and their eggs are considered a useful article of food. 
The Emydide or Freshwater Tortoises are chiefly distinguished 
from the fore-mentioned by their flatter appearance, by the 
webbing of their feet, and by the greater length of the nails 
of their toes. However, there is no distinct line of demarcation 
between the two families. Some of the Water Tortoises live 
quite as much out of the water as in. All of them. are am- 
phibious, and though they can swim with considerable activity, 
they are better walkers on land than any of the Testudinide. 
All the Terrapins are carnivorous with the exception of the 
Batagurs and Dermatemys, which are herbivorous. They feed 
when at liberty upon worms, fish, frogs, newts, insects, and the 
like; but in captivity, in addition to these foods, they will eat 
E 
