95 



tortoise was placed in the garden of the episcopal 

 palace at Fulham, by Bishop Laud, when bishop of 

 that see, in 1628 : this appears to have died a natural 

 death in 1753. It is not known what were their 

 several ages when placed in these gardens. That of 

 which we are about to give an account, we saw in 

 the palace garden at Peterborough, adjoining the 

 Cathedral, in the summer of 1813. We were in- 

 formed that its introduction into the garden was re- 

 gistered in a document in the archives of the cathedral, 

 and its sustenance and abode therein provided for ; but 

 this seems to be incorrect. Its shell was perforated, 

 in order to limit its range among the strawberry 

 borders, of which fruit it was fond. The animal had 

 its antipathies and predilections : thus it would eat en- 

 dive, green pease, and even the leek, while it rejected 

 asparagus, parsley, and spinage. In the early part 

 of the season, its favourite pabulum seemed to be the 

 flowers of the dandelion (leontodon taraxacum), of 

 which it would devour twenty at a meal ; and lettuce 

 (lactuca sativa), of the latter a good sized one at a 

 time ; but if placed between lettuce and the flowers of 

 the dandelion, it would forsake the former for the 

 latter. It was also partial to the pulp of an orange, 

 which it sucked greedily. 



About the latter end of June, it looked out for 

 fruit, when its former choice was forsaken: it ate 

 currants, raspberries, pears, apples, peaches, and necta- 

 rines, the riper the better, but would not taste cherries. 

 Of fruits, however, the strawberry and gooseberry 

 were the most esteemed : it made great havoc among 

 the strawberry borders, and would take a pint of 

 gooseberries at intervals. The gardener told us it 

 knew him well : his was the hand that generally fed it ; 

 and the animal would watch him attentively at the 



