NORTH AMERICA* 2JJ 
laft are become very fcarce, and when feen are di£» 
covered about old log buildings. 
Here are feverai fpecies of the tortoife, befides 
thofe already mentioned ; as the fmall land tor- 
toife, already defcrihed by every traveller. There 
is a good figure and defcription of him in G. 
Edwards's GL Nat. Hi ft. vol. II. p. 205. There 
are two fpecies of frem-water tortoifes inhabiting 
the tide water rivers ; one of which is large, weigh- 
ing ten or twelve pounds, the back flie.ll of nearly 
an oval form, and raifed very high, the belly 
fliell flat and entire, but deeply fcolloped oppofite 
the legs. The other fpecies are fmaii, com- 
paratively, and the back ihell lightly railed : both 
fpecies are food for mankind and efteemed deli* 
cious. 
Of beafts, the otter (lutra) is common, but more 
fo in Weft-Florida, towards the mountains. The 
feverai fpecies of muftela are common ; as the 
mink, weafei and polecat (putorius). Racoons and 
opoflums are in great abundance ; thefe animals 
are efteemed delicious and healthy food. There 
are two fpecies of wild-rats 5 but neither of them 
near as large as the European houfe-rat, which are 
common enough in the fettlements of the white 
people. Here are very few mice 5 yet I have feen 
fome, particularly in Charlefton. I faw two in a 
little wire cage, at a gentleman's houfe, which were 
as white as mow, and their eyes red* There are 
yet a few beavers in Eaft-Florida and Georgia, but 
they abound mo ft in the North of Georgia, and in 
Weft-Florida, near the mountains. But the mufk* 
rat (caftor cauda lanceolata) is never feen in Ca- 
rolina, Georgia or Florida, within one hundred 
miles of the fea coaft, and very few in the moft 
norther ri 
