RADIATED TORTOISE. 



23 



foot or more in length, whereas the former seldom 

 arrives at that size : it is also nearly smooth or 

 even in its outline, whereas that of the T. geome- 

 trica is remarkably tuberculated ; the pieces of 

 which it consists rising very much towards their 

 centres : the pattern in the present shell is also 

 more elaborately disposed, and the streaks or ra- 

 diations more numerous and delicate in propor- 

 tion ; all which distinctions will appear at once 

 from an inspection of the annexed figures, and 

 will be more impressed on the mind of the -in- 

 quirer than by any possible verbal description. 

 The native country of this species is said by 

 Grew, Avho has well described it in his Musceum 

 Regalis Societatis, to be Madagascar; but it should 

 seem to be also a native of Jamaica ; since the 

 Hicatee Tortoise, mentioned in Brown's History 

 of that island, appears to agree pretty well with its 

 characters and size, and will by no means accord 

 with those of the T. geometrica, to which it is 

 generally applied by authors. So accurately has 

 Grew detailed the figure and pattern of the shell, 

 that it would be injurious to omit his description: 

 It was sent from^ Madagascar. I find the 

 animal iio where described or figured. It is above 

 half oval ; being of all that I ever saw the most 

 concave ; a foot long, eight inches over, and al- 

 most six inches high. The convex is curiously 

 wrought with black and whitish pieces, alternately 

 wedged in, one against another, and notched, as 

 it were, with transverse incisions. Those near 

 the margin and on the sides are composed into 



