54 GREEN^-SHELLED TURTLE. 



will be found on the plate annexed, which is 

 taken from a drawing by the late Dr. Forster, and 

 now preserved in the collection of Sir Joseph 

 Banks, who politely permitted it to be engraved 

 for the present publication. 



GREEN-SHELLED TURTLE. 



Testiido testa mriegata mridi. 



Turtle with green variegated shell. 



La Tortue Ecaille-Verte. Cepede Ovip. p. 92. 



This is so named by the Count de Cepede from 

 the colour of its shell, which is naturally of a 

 green cast, beautifully transparent, thin, and yet 

 proper for a variety of ornamental purposes. The 

 head is small and rounded ; otherwise the animal 

 resembles the common green turtle, or Mydas, in 

 its general appearance, as well as in its manners, 

 but never grows to so large a size, being commonly 

 about a third part less. These turtles are said to 

 be found in great quantities in the Southern 

 Ocean, and about Cape Blanco in New Spain. 

 They also occur in the Gulf of Mexico, and many 

 of the large American rivers both above and below 

 the line, but have never been discovered in the 

 seas of the old continent. The flesh is said to be 

 very delicate, and is even preferred in some places 

 to that of the common turtle. Mons. Bomare is 

 said by Cepede to have been the first describer of 

 this species. 



