CORIACEOUS TURTLE. 79 



This species is found not only in the European 

 seas, but in those of South America also, and oc- 

 casionally appears about some of the African 

 coasts. 



According to Cepede, the Coriaceous Tortoise 

 is one of those with which the Greeks Avere well 

 acquainted, and he supposes it to have been the 

 species particularly used in the construction of 

 the ancient lyre or harp, which was at first com- 

 posed bv attaching the strings or wires to the 

 shell of some marine tortoise. We may add, that 

 the ribs or prominences on the back of the shell bear 

 an obscure resemblance to the strings of a harp, 

 and may have suggested the name of Luth or 

 Lyre, by which it is called among the French, ex- 

 clusive of the use to which the shell was anciently 

 applied. 



The Coriaceous Tortoise, says Mr. Pennant, is 

 reputed to be extremely fat, but the flesh coarse 

 and bad : the Carthusians, however, will eat no 

 other species. 



It may be added, that the small sea tortoise 

 described by Mr. Pennant in the Philosophical 

 Transactions for the year 1771, is evidently no 

 other than the voun<* of this animal. 



