

THE TORTOISE. 



Surprising longevity. 



nary age; and very ample evidence has been 

 produced of its exceeding even the period of a 

 century. One that was introduced into the gar- 

 den of Lambeth palace in the time of archbishop 

 Laud, was living in the year \7o3, a hundred 

 and twenty years afterwards: at last it perished, 

 from an unfortunate neglect of the gardener; 

 and the shell which measures ten inches in 

 length, and six and a half in breadth, is said to 

 be still preserved in the palace. In the year 

 176.5, a tortoise was living in the garden of a 

 gentleman, at Sandwich, in Kent, which was 

 known to have been there from about the year 

 1679, but how long before that period 'no on 

 could say with certainty. There is, however, 

 good reason for supposing it to have been brought 

 thither from the West Indies by a gentleman 

 \vho was owner of the premises several years be- 

 fore the first period. This animal died in the 

 winter of 1767 It appeared that it had endea- 

 voured, according to irs annual custom, to bur* 

 row into the ground; but having selected for 

 this purpose a spot near an old vine, its progress 

 was obstructed by the roots, and it probably had 

 not sufficient strength to change its situation, as 

 it was found dead with only half its body co- 

 vered. About thirty years before its death, it 

 got out of the garden, and was much injured by 

 the wheel of a loaded waggon, which went over 

 it, and cracked its upper shell. 



Several cruel experiments have been made tp 



II. NO. XIV. 2 P 



