TESTUDINIDAE 367 



rarely more than nine inches in length. Its home is Morocco 

 and Asia Minor, extending into Persia. It also occurs in certain 

 parts of Southern Andalucia, where it breeds regularly, for instance, 

 in the sandy pine-forests of the Marismas, near the mouth of the 

 Guadalquivir. Whether it has been introduced from Morocco, or 

 is indigenous, is an open question. Its specific name refers to 

 its Iberian home. 



T. marginata is worth mentioning, since it is the Greek 

 tortoise, although not that of the European markets, which are 

 supplied by the other two species. T. marginata is restricted 

 to Greece proper, where it is the only land-tortoise. It is less 

 closely allied to T. graeca than to T. ibera, of which it may be 

 called an exaggerated form. The posterior margin of the 

 carapace is much expanded or flanged, and serrated. The 

 supracaudal is undivided, the posterior lobe of the plastron 

 is movable, but the large conical spur on the thighs is absent. 

 The dorsal shields of adult specimens are black with a small 

 yellowish patch ; the ventral shields are yellowish, each with a 

 large black triangular patch. The British Museum possesses a 

 shell 28 cm. 11 inches in length. 



The habits of these Moorish and Greek tortoises are very 

 much alike, and since they enjoy the distinction of frequently 

 being kept as pets in gardens, where they are allowed to look 

 after themselves, a great many incidental and odd observations 

 have been made on them. They are essentially vegetable feeders, 

 but their taste varies individually and with the season, also ac- 

 cording to the vegetation of the country they happen to come 

 from. Most of them enjoy juicy plants, for instance, lettuce and 

 cabbage ; the flowers of the dandelion attract them not merely 

 by their bright colour ; clover is also a favourite food, and an 

 enclosure of grass-land with clover in it is soon cleared of the 

 latter ; grass is also taken, in default of anything better. Some 

 of my specimens gradually bite large holes into gourds and 

 pumpkins ; and in Morocco I found them in the autumn feeding 

 entirely on the terribly astringent green fruits of the dwarf 

 palm Chamaerops humilis. The larger specimens bolted the 

 fruit with the stones, passing the latter. In close captivity 

 they often learn to take and to like bread soaked in milk or 

 water. They drink slowly and at length, but scarcely ever when 

 they have succulent food. There is one thing which they do 



