ORDER CHELONIA. 57 



not be kept straight, but by fixing the convex part in the 

 ground. 



In the family of terrestrial tortoises, the Greek tortoise, 

 Testudo My das, is common enough in all the southern parts 

 of Europe, and naturalists have had ample opportunities of 

 observing and studying it. Notwithstanding this, according 

 to Daudin, almost all of them have confounded under this 

 specific name, three different and approximating species. 

 Schoepff is the first observer who has properly separated 

 these three species, and given a just description of them. 



The true Greek tortoise, which was so well known by the 

 ancient Greeks, and which Phidias placed at the feet of his 

 statue of Venus, as the symbol of gentleness, was first ascribed 

 by our countryman Ray, under the name of the common land 

 tortoise. He says that it is to be recognized by the spots, or 

 rather by black and yellow areolae, or circles, on the back, by 

 its osseous shell, very convex above, and flat underneath, by 

 its small head not imlike that of a serpent, which it can elon- 

 gate or withdraw at will under the carapace, and by the 

 absence of upper eyelid, and of tympanum. Ray adds, 

 that it passes the whole winter in a state of torpor in the 

 ground, and that it can live a length of time without eating. 



The general length of the shell in the Greek, or common 

 tortoise, is from six to eight inches. M. Daudin has seen one 

 of this species ten inches French measure, in entire length. 

 It does not seem ever to exceed this last dimension. 



The skin of the neck, though scaly, is very loose, and folds, 

 occasionally, according to the inclination of the animal, in a 

 sort of capote behind the head. 



This tortoise is very common in the southern parts of 

 Europe, as we have before mentioned, and especially in the 

 various countries which border on the Mediterranean. It is 

 found wild in Dalmatia, Sardinia, Portugal, on the coast of 

 Barbary, and probably also in Egypt, if the land-tortoise 



