of North Carolina. 139 



speckled with reddish spots, which are hard and strong) that 

 scarce any thing can hurt them. The Indians eat them, and 

 most of them are good Food, except the very large ones, and 

 those that are Musky. These, as well as the Tortoises, make 

 Holes in the Sand-Banks above High-water-mark, where they 

 lay vast quantities of Eggs in the Season, which are hatched 

 by the heat of the Sun, and the young Ones, as soon as they 

 are out of the Shell, crawl back to the Water, where they 

 seek their Living. They are mortal Enemys to the Rattle- 

 Snahes, killing them wherever they meet, which they do by 

 catching the Snake a little below the Neck, and so draw his 

 Head into their Shell, wdiich makes the Snake beat his Tail, 

 and twist about with all the strength and violence imaginable 

 to get away, but the Terehin soon dispatches him, by press- 

 ing him to Death between his Shells, and there leaves him. 

 In Europe they are called the Land-tortois, and are plenty up 

 and down the Woods of Carolina; they feed on Snails, Tad- 

 pools, or young Frogs, Grass, Mushrooms, and Dew and slime 

 of the Earth and Ponds. Their Eggs are very nourishing, 

 and exceeding good Food. They never appear in Winter, 

 but lie all that Season in Holes in the Earth, without any 

 manner of apparent Provision. 



The ^Vater-Terehins have a Shell on their Backs and an- 

 other underneath, like the former; they are but small, con- 

 taining about as much Meat as a Pullet, and are extraordinary 

 good Food in May and June, at which time they make Holes 

 in the Earth, where they lay vast quantities of Eggs, which 

 are hatched by the heat of the Sun and Sands, as the former 

 are. They come out about the bigness of a small Cliesnut, 

 and seek their own living: It is incredible what quantities 

 of Eggs, these as well as the others will lay in the Season, 

 but they have so many Enemies that find them out (espe- 



S 2 ciallv 



