| 
or 
TORTOISES. 
to shut themselves up as it were in a box. The carapace is 
dark brown and is spotted or striped with yellow; the sternum 
is of a yellowish-brown colour. It will eat its animal food 
either dead or alive, and is not averse to making a meal of 
ripe fruit. 
The Long-necked Tortoise (Chelodina longicollis) of Australia 
is a very interesting tortoise, and has recently been imported 
into this country in considerable quantities. This Terrapin lives 
exceedingly well in confinement, where it soon becomes quite 
tame. 
The Chicken Tortoise (£. reticulata) receives its specific name 
from the reticulated appearance of its carapace. The lines which 
form the network are yellow. When full-grown, it is about 9in. 
long. Terrapins from hot countries, such as India, should always 
be kept in those Vivaria that have a provision for heating the 
water. If this cannot conveniently be done, it is wiser and 
kinder to be content with those that come from a more temperate 
climate. 
Freshwater Tortoises have a curious habit of leaving the air- 
bladders of the fish they have eaten floating upon the surface of 
the water. Such signs of a Terrapin’s meal first taught me that 
it was not wise to keep a good-sized Emys in the same tank with 
small fish. Mr. Bell records that ‘‘it is said that people are 
wont to judge of the quantity of Tortoises to be found in a lake or 
pond by the number of air-bags which are seen swimming on the 
surface of the water.”’ 
