24 



autumn. It seemed greatly alarmed if surprised 

 by a shower of rain during* its peregrinations in 

 search of food ; and though its shell was so 

 thick that it could scarcely have been injured by 

 the wheel of a loaded cart, it discovered as 

 much solicitude to avoid rain, as a fine lady in 

 her gayest attire, shuffling away on the first 

 sprinklings, and making for some shelter. 

 Whenever the old lady, its mistress, who usually 

 waited on it, came in sight, it always hobbled, 

 with awkward alacrity, towards its benefactress, 

 though to strangers it appeared quite inattentive. 

 It never stirred out after dark ; often appeared 

 abroad only for a few hours in the middle of 

 the day ; and in wet days never came from its 

 retreat. Though it loved warm weather, it care- 

 fully avoided the hot sun, and passed the more 

 sultry hours under the shelter of a large cab- 

 bage-leaf, or amid the friendly shades of an 

 asparagus bed. Towards autumn, however, he 

 appeared anxious to improve the effect of the 

 faint sun-beams, by getting under the reflection 

 of a wall, and inclining its shell towards the 

 sun. In scraping the ground to form its winter 

 retreat, it dug up with its fore feet, and threw 

 up the earth over its back, with its hinder feet ; 



