CLASS REPTILIA. 



5. Chelonia, Brongn. 



Feet fin-shaped, compressed ; shell with a bony margin all 

 round, and a ring-like sternum. 



Living in the sea ; eating algce and mollusca. 



I. Shell covered with a leathery skin. Sphargis, Merrem. 

 Coriaceous Turtle, Ch. {Sphargis) Coriacea. Testudo 

 Coriacea. Lin. Pen. Brit. Zool. 4. t. 1. 



Shell with three longitudinal dorsal ridges ; when young the 

 skin granular, and fins very long. See Schoepft. t. 29- Me- 

 diterranean Ocean. 



II. Shell covered with horny scales. Chelonia. 



A. shields depressed. Chelonia. 



Green Turtle. Chelonia Mydas. Testudo, Lin. Lacep, 2. O. 



t. 1. f. 1 



Shell cordate, greenish brown, slightly keeled, shelving on 

 both sides ; lower jaw deeply denticulated. Varies first in 

 the number of the dorsal shields, and thus Test. Atra, Lin., 

 and Test. Multiscutata, Kuhl. Second in the number of 

 sternal shields, thus Test. Cepediana, Daud. Sometimes 

 the shields are variously coloured, and thus Chelonia Virgata, 

 Dumeril, and Chelonia Radiata, Ch. Macidosa and Ch. 

 Lachrymata, Cuv., R. A. Testudo Japonica, Thumberg, 

 appears to be only a variety with the shields so thin, that he 

 mistook the sutures of the bones for the edge of the scales. 



Loggerhead Turtle, Chelonia Caretta, Testudo Caretta^ 

 Lin. Schoepf. t. 16. 



Shell convex, vertebral shields gibbous ; head very large ; 

 when young the nose produced, Testudo Nasicornis, Lacep. 

 Edw. t. 206, Var. Vertebral shields sometimes seven. 

 Chelonia Olivacea, Eschscholtz Atlas, t. 3. Mediterranean 

 and other seas. 

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