u8 STARVING TORTOISES. 



last. The ordinary land-tortoise feeds on cabbage, 

 sow-thistle, lettuce-leaves, and dandelion flowers, 

 while some specimens will enjoy bread and milk as 

 well. I have been carefully watching a tame one 

 in my conservatory, and find that, day after day, 

 he eats a lettuce nearly half his own size. If, 

 then, he requires so much food to keep him in 

 health and vigour, how pitiable must be the con- 

 dition of those kept without food, or those that 

 are perhaps offered a dandelion flower once a 

 week ! 



The water-tortoises are equally ill-used, for 

 often from lack of knowledge they are constantly 

 offered vegetable diet which they cannot eat, their 

 proper food being the live creatures they find in 

 the water they exist in. They are best fed in 

 captivity by supplying them with little portions 

 of raw meat, or remains of boiled cod or turbot. 

 They are easily distinguished from the land- 

 tortoises by their livelier movements, and by their 

 being able to swim in water. Still even they do 

 not care to be always afloat, so there should be a 

 piece of cork or some small island upon which 

 they can rest when they are tired of swimming. 



