STARVING TORTOISES. 123 



mother leaves her precious deposits to be hatched 

 by the heat of the sun. 



Gilbert White has remarked upon the tor- 

 toise as a weather prophet. He says, " As sure 

 as it walks elate, and as it were on tiptoe, feeding 

 with great earnestness in the morning, so sure will 

 it rain before night." I can confirm this state- 

 ment from my own observation, and when my 

 tortoise walks in a weak sort of fashion, as if his 

 limbs had no strength, it is a sure presage of fine 

 weather. I frequently see another habit in my pet 

 which is noticed in White's " Selborne " : " He 

 inclines his shell, by tilting it against the wall, to 

 collect and admit every feeble ray." The sun 

 shines upon the floor of my conservatory in diffe- 

 rent places according to the time of day, and my 

 tortoise " improves the shining hour" by seeking 

 these pleasant sunny spots and basking in them 

 in rotation as the day goes on. 



A young dove that is allowed to fly about in my 

 conservatory is remarkably fond of the tortoise, 

 and may often be seen sitting on its back and 

 pluming itself ; it stays there whilst the tortoise 

 walks about, apparently quite unaware that it is 

 carrying an " outside passenger." 



