146 OVIPAROUS QUADRUPEDS. 



pofed of fifteen pieces ; of which fome or other are often falling ofF by 

 accidents of various kinds ; the number and form of thefe vary. The 

 under fhell is fhorter than the upper, and fofter; compofed commonly of 

 twenty-three or twenty-four pieces. Its feet are very long j the toes 

 united by a membrane, and much more ufed for fwimming than for 

 walking. In the hind feet, the firfl: toe only has a fharp and vifible nail: 

 that of the fecond is lefs, and round j the three others very flight. In 

 the front fec^ij the two interior toes have fharp nails, and the three others 

 flight ones ; the head, feet, and tail have fmall fcaies like a fifh j the 

 mouth opens behind the ears; has no teeth, but jaws very hard, and 

 ftrong; and inftead of teeth, bony afperities : thefe are powerful enough 

 to craunch fhell-dfh of any kind ; which they eat frequently. 



We are told by Laet, that on the Ifle of Cuba they grow fo large, that 

 five men can (land on the back o^one of them; and, what is miOre fur- 

 prifing, that the animal will go off with them upon its back, with a flow 

 ileady motion, towards the fea. They are found in great numbers on the 

 Ifland of Afcenfion. 



Its chief food is the alga, a fubmarine plant, that covers the bottom 

 of feveral parts of the fea not far from the fliorc. There they are feen,- 

 when the weather is fair, feeding in great numbers, like flocks of flieep, 

 feveral fathoms deep upon the verdant carpet below. At other times 

 they go to the mouths of rivers, and they feem to find gratification in 

 frefli-water and frefli air. When done feeding, they generally float with 

 their heads above water, unlefs alarmed, when they fuddenly plunge to 

 the bottom. They often fcek provifion among the rocks, eating mofs 

 and fea-weed ; and probably infe6ls and fmall animals, as they are very 

 fond of flefli when taken and fed for the table. 



They couple in March j are during nine days almoft incapable of fe- 

 paration. At breeding time, which varies on each fide the line, they 

 take fometimes a voyage of eight or nine hundred miles to depofit their 

 eggs on fome favourite fliore. The coafts they always refort to are low> 

 flat, and fandy j for being heavy animals, they cannot climb a bold fliore; 

 nor is any bed fo proper as fand to lay their eggs on. Here the female 

 is fcen toward fun-fet drawing near the fliore, and looking earneftly about 

 her. Ifflie perceives danger, feeks another place : if not flie lands at 

 dark, and furveys the fand, where (he defigns to lay; then retires without 

 laying ; but the next night returns to depofit part of her burthen. She 

 begins by working and digging in the fand with her fore-feet, till flie 

 has made fometimes feveral round holes, a foot broad, and two feet deep, 



juft 



