1048 The American Naturalist. [December, 
size is between fifty and one hundred pounds. Their shape is 
somewhat similar to our small land tortoise, which is found upon 
the island, and is like it, high and round in the back." They 
have a very long neck, which, together with their head, has a 
very disagreeable appearance, very much resembling a large ser- 
pent. I have seen them with necks between two and three feet 
long, and when they saw anything that was new to them, or met 
each other, they would raise their heads as high as they could, 
their necks being nearly vertical, and adv^ance with their mouths 
wide open, appearing to be the most spiteful of any reptile what- 
ever ; sometimes two of them would come up to each other in 
that manner, so near as almost to touch, and stand in that posi- 
tion for two or three minutes, appearing so angry that their 
mouths, heads, and necks appeared to quiver with passion ; when 
by the least touch of a stick against their necks or heads, they 
would sink back in an instant and draw their necks, heads and legs 
into their shells. This is the only quick motion I ever saw them 
perform. I was put in the same kind of fear that is felt at the 
sight or near approach of a snake at the first one I saw, which 
was very large. I was alone at the time, and he stretched himself 
as high as he could, opened his mouth, and advanced towards 
me. His body was raised more than a foot from the ground, his 
head turned forward m the manner of a snake in the act of 
biting, and raised two feet and a half above his body. I had a 
musket in my hand at the time, and when he advanced near 
enough to reach him with it, I held the muzzle out so that he hit 
his neck against it, at the touch of which he dropped himself 
upon the ground and instantly secured all his limbs within his 
shell. They are perfectly harmless, as much so as any animal I 
know of, notwithstanding their threatening appearance. They 
have no teeth, and of course cannot bite very hard. They take 
their food into their mouths by the assistance of the sharp edge 
of the upper and under jaw, which shut together one *a little 
within the other, so as to nip grass, or any flowers, berries, or 
shrubbery, the only food they eat. 
