77 



CORIACEOUS TURTLE. 



Testudo Coriacea. T.fusca, subtus pallidior, testa coriacea costis 



quinque longitudinalibus tubfrculativ. 

 Brown Turtle, paler beneath, with coriaceous shell, marked 



by five longitudinal tuberculated ribs. 

 Testudo coriacea. T. pedtins pintrifonnibus mitticis, testa coriacea, 



cauda angulis septem exaiatis. Lin. Sy$t. ^at. p. 350. 

 Testudo testa coriacea, per lungituduicm striata. Lin. Sy*t, Nat. 



Gmel. p. 1036. Schnd'l. Schildkr. p. .31 '2. 

 Coriaceous Tortoise. Pr-nn. Brit. Zoo/. 3. p. 1 . pi. 1. 

 La Luth. L'epede. Chip. p. III. pi. 3. 



OF all the Marine Tortoises this appears to grow 

 to the largest size, having heen sometimes seen of 

 the length of eight feet, and of the weight of a 

 thousand pounds. It differs from the rest of its 

 tribe in the form of its body, which is longer in 

 proportion, and still more in its external cover- 

 ing, which, instead of being of a horny nature, as 

 in others, is of a substance resembling strong lea- 

 ther, marked over the whole surface into small, 

 obscurely subhexagonal and pentagonal subdivi- 

 sions or lineations, which do not take away from 

 the general smoothness of the surface. Along the 

 whole length of this covering or leathery shield 

 run five distinct, strongly prominent, tubercu- 

 lated ribs or ridges ; and indeed if those which 

 border the sides be taken into the account, we 

 may say there are seven ridges on the shield. 

 There is no under or thoracic shell, so that the 

 animal might form a distinct genus from the rest 

 of the tortoise tribe. The head is large, and the 



