10 



THE QUAKER TORTOISE. 



The Chicken Tortoise is also found in North America. 



It is very common in the ponds, lakes, or marshy grounds, and though very plentiful, and 

 by no means quick in its movements, is not easily caught, owing to its extreme wariness. 

 Hundreds of these Tortoises may be seen reposing on logs, stones, or the branches of fallen 

 trees, where they are apparently an easy prey. But they are very sensitive to the approach of 

 an enemy, and tile first that perceives the coming danger tumbles off its perch and falls into 

 the water with a great splasli that arouses the fears of all its companions, which go tumbling and 

 splashing into the water in all directions, and in a few seconds not a Tortoise is to be seen 

 where they were so plentiful before they took alarm. 



The Chicken Tortoise swims well, but not rapidly, and as it passes along with its head and 

 neck elevated above the surface, it looks so like the dark water-snake of the same country, 

 that at a little distance it might readily be mistaken for that reptile. 



LETTElCETt T0RTOISE.-£!/rt;f« scripta. cmCKEN TORTOISE. —j£te?» relicularia. 



It is rather a small species, seldom exceeding ten inches in length. Its flesh is remark- 

 ably excellent, very tender and delicately flavored, something like that of a young chicken, so 

 that this Tortoise is in great request as an article of food, and is largely sold in the markets, 

 though not so plentifully as the common salt-water terrapin. Its color is dark brown above, 

 and the plates are scribbled with yeUow lines, and wrinkled longitudinally. The neck is long 

 in propoi*tion to tlie size of the animal, so long, indeed, tliat the head and neck together are 

 ahnost as long as the shell. Tlie lower jaw is hooked in front. 



Ak allied species, popularly called tlie Qt^aker Tortoise, and scientifically Emys olw- 

 acea, is remarkable for the extreme length of the claws of the fore feet, the three middle claws 

 being elongated in a manner that irresistibly reminds the observer of the nails belonging to a 

 Chinese mandarin of very high rank. 



