TORTOISE. 173 



XIV. ' 



THE more I reflect on the ffrooyt) of animals, the 

 more I am astonished at its effects. Nor is the 



" The animal had its antipathies and predilections. It 

 would eat endive, green pease, and even the leek ; while 

 it positively rejected asparagus, parsley, and spinage. In 

 the early part of the season, its favourite pabulum was 

 the flowers of the dandelion (leontotfon 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 dan* 

 delion, 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, (discerning the times and 

 the seasons,) it looked out for fruit, when its former choice 

 was forsaken. It ate currants, raspberries, pears, apples, 

 peaches, nectarines, &c., the riper the better, but would not 

 taste cherries. Of fruits, however, the strawberry and goose- 

 berry were the most esteemed : it made great havoc among 

 the strawberry borders, and would take a pint of gooseberries 

 at intervals. The gardener told me it knew him well, the 

 hand that generally fed it, and would watch him attentively 

 at the gooseberry bush, where he was sure to take its station 

 while he plucked the fruit. 



" I could not get it to take the root of the dandelion, 

 nor indeed any root I offered it, as that of the carrot, turnip, 

 &c. All animal food was discarded, nor would it take 

 any liquid ; at least neither milk nor water ; and when 

 a leaf was moist, it would shake it to expel the adhering 

 wet. 



" This animal moved with apparent ease, though pressed 

 by a weight of 18 stone: itself weighed 13 Ibs. In cloudy 

 weather it would scoop out a cavity, generally in a southern 

 exposure, where it reposed, torpid and inactive, until the 

 genial influence of the sun roused it from its slumber. When 

 in this state the eyes were closed, and the head and neck a 

 little contracted, though not drawn within the shell. Its 

 sense of smelling was so acute, that it was roused from its 



