HER FETOLOGY. 



Mod tr- 





ChelooUn resemblance to that of the mole. The coriaceous tur- 

 lUpul**. tie is an inhabitant of the sea, is frequently found in 

 > *^"Y"^^ the Mediterranean, and has been seen even on the coast 

 of Britain. The fierce tortoise has yet been found only 

 in the rivers and fresh water lakes of America, especi- 

 ally in Florida and Carolina. The former is a large 

 species, often measuring above seven feet in length ; 

 the latter seldom weighs above seventy pounds. 



The fierce tortoise frequents lakes and muddy rivers, 

 and hides itself among the water plants that grow at 

 the bottom, from which it is said to spring suddenly 

 on its prey. This consists of small water animals, and, 

 in some places, more particularly of young crocodiles, 

 of which this species is extremely fond. They seize 

 their prey by suddenly darting forward their long and 

 strong neck, which they do with great celerity. 



This species is among the strongest and most active 

 of its tribe, and, as its trivial name implies, is possess- 

 ed of ferocity and courage. When attacked, it boldly 

 defends itself, rising on its hind legs, and leaping for 

 ward to seize on its assailant ; and if once it fixes with 

 its jaws on any part, it is scarcely made to let go its 

 hold without cutting off its head. 



The fierce tortoise forms an excellent article of food, 

 at least not inferior to the green turtle. 



SP. 11. T. lulana. The mud tortoise. 



This is one of the smallest of the fresh water tor- 

 toises ; its whole length, from the snout to the tip of 

 the tail, seldom exceeding eight inches, while in breadth 

 it is not more than three or four. It is of a blackish or 

 dark brown colour. Its tail is nearly half the length of 

 the shield, and is stretched out when the animal walks. 

 Hence the mud tortoise has been sometimes called by 

 the ancients tttus aqualilis, or water rat. 



This is a very frequent inhabitant of lakes and mud- 

 dy rivers in the south of Europe, and in many parts of 

 Asia. It is very plentiful in France, especially in the 

 provinces of Languedoc and Provence. It lives almost 

 entirely in the water, only going on land to lay its 

 eggs, which it covers with mould. It moves with a 

 quicker pace on land than many of this tribe ; when 

 disturbed, it utters a kind of interrupted hissing sound. 

 It feeds on fish, snails, and worms, and often proves 

 a troublesome inmate in fish-ponds, killing many of 

 the fish, and biting others till they are nearly exhausted 

 from loss of blood. 



It has been proposed to employ the mud tortoise for 

 destroying vermin in gardens ; but it is necessary to 

 have a pond or large vessel of water for its ordinary re- 

 sidence. With such a convenience, it may be render- 

 ed tame and domestic. 



The young of this species, when first hatched, are 

 not an inch in diameter. They continue to grow for a 

 long time, and are known to live for at least twenty- 

 four years. 



SP. S6. T. Graca. Common land tortoise. 



Several varieties of tortoise, known both to ancient 

 and modern naturalists, have been described under the 

 name of Greek ; and, according to Daudin, Schoepff 

 was the first to remedy this confusion, and to mark 

 each by its distinctive characters. The species of which 

 we are now treating seldom exceeds ten inches in 

 length ; is of an oval form, with a very convex shield, 



f<-. .,..-- 

 Und tor- 

 out 



broader behind than before. The breastplate is nearly Chdoniun 

 of equal size with the shield, and is of a pale yellow Reptiles. 

 colour, with a broad dark stripe down each side, while ^ ">" 

 the middle part of the shield is of a blackish brown, Common 

 mixed with yellow. The head is small, and covered li "? A * r ' 

 on its upper part with irregular scales; the mouth is toisc ' 

 small, the legs short, and the feet pretty broad, and 

 covered with strong ovate scales. The tail is very 

 short, scaly, and terminated at its extremity with a 

 curved horny process. It seldom weighs above three 

 pounds. 



This species is entirely confined to the land, and pre- 

 fers elevated woody situations. It is found in Europe, 

 Asia, and Africa, and is very common on all the coasts 

 of the Mediterranean Sea, especially in Sardinia, Bar- 

 bary, and probably in Egypt. It is not a little curi- 

 ous, that, even in the warmer climates, this species re- 

 gularly retires to its subterranean quarters during the 

 winter months ; thus proving what we have before re- 

 marked, that the hybernation of these animals does not 

 depend solely on the degree of cold. It begins to bury 

 itself in October, and usually makes a hole about two 

 feet below the surface, where it continues till April. 



The males of this species are in summer tolerably ac- 

 tive, and very fierce towards each other. The female 

 lays her eggs towards the end of June, depositing them 

 in a hole, and covering them with sand or mould. 

 They seldom exceed five in number at one time, and 

 are of a white colour, and about the size of those of a 

 pigeon. They are hatched towards the end of Septem- 

 ber ; and the young, when first extruded, are scarcely 

 bigger than walnut-shells. 



The individuals of this species live on roots, fruits, 

 worms, and insects, the shells of which latter they ea- 

 sily break with their strong jaws.* 



The land tortoise is often domesticated, especially in 

 gardens. We shall select the account of a tame tor- 

 toise, given by the Rev. Mr White of Selborne, as a 

 pleasing specimen of the manners of these animals in a 

 state of captivity. This individual had been in pos- 

 session of a lady for upwards of thirty years. It re- 

 gularly retired below ground about the middle of No- 

 vember, and did not emerge till the middle of April. 

 Its appetite was voracious in the middle of summer, 

 but it ate very little in spring and 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 in- 

 jured by the wheel of a loaded cart, it discovered as 

 much solicitude to avoid rain, as a fine lady in her gay- 

 est 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 in- 

 attentive. It never stirred out after dark ; often ap- 

 peared abroad only for a few hours in the middle of the 

 day; and in wet days never came frum its retreat. 

 Though it loved warm weather, it carefully avoided 

 the hot sun, and passed the more sultry hours under 

 the shelter of a large cabbage leaf, or amid the friend- 

 ly shades of an asparagus bed. Towards autumn, how, 

 ever, he appeared anxious to improve the effect of the 





