TESTUDINATA : EMYDOID^E. 



placed in the same cavity with the other viscera. The Tes- 

 tudinata are divided into two Sub-Orders, Chelonii or 

 Sea Turtles, and Amydae or Fresh-water and Land Turtles. 

 All lay their eggs in holes which they dig in dry ground, 

 and, covering them with earth, leave them to hatch. 



The Sub-Order of Amydae comprises Testudinina or 

 Land-Tortoise Family, Emydoidae or Terrapin Family, 

 Cinosternoidae or Mud-Turtle Family, Chelydroidae or 

 Snapping-Turtle Family, Hydraspidae, Chelyoidae, and 

 Trionychidae or Trionyx Family. The two families pre- 

 ceding the last belong to South America ; and the last 

 but one contains the curious turtle called Matamata. 



TESTUDININA, OR LAND-TORTOISE FAMILY. This Fam- 

 ily comprises turtles which have the shell high and arched, 

 sternum broad and flat, and the legs and feet so arranged 

 that the body is raised free from the ground. 



The Genus Xerobates contains the Gopher, X. carolinus, 

 Ag., Testudo polyphemus, Daudin, of the Southern States, 

 which has the shell fourteen to eighteen inches long, and 

 which burrows in the ground, digging holes four or five 

 feet deep. It will be observed that its popular name is 

 the same as that given to certain members of the Sciuridae. 



The Genus Testudo contains the European Land-Tor- 

 toise, T. grceca, Linn., six to ten inches long ; and the 

 Galapago or Indian Tortoise, T. indica, Linn., which is 

 three feet long, and is the largest land tortoise known. 



EMYDOID.E, OR TERRAPIN FAMILY. This Family com- 

 prises turtles which 

 have the shell highest 

 in the middle, and the 

 sternum flat, broad, and 

 long. It is the largest 

 of all the turtle fami- 

 lies, and its representa- 

 tives present so wide a Wood Tortoisei G . insculpta , Ag . 



