AFRICAN TORTOISE. 
ral habits are resped^ively most prone to the 
situations from \vhence they derive their po- 
pular names of distm6tion. 
In their external form they all pretty much- 
resemble each other ; their outward covering 
being composed of two great shells, the one 
laid on the other, and only touching at the 
edges: when, however, we come to inspect 
them closer, we find the upper shell to he com- 
posed of no less than thirteen pieces, laid flat 
on the ribs, like the tiles of a house, by 
which the shell is kept arched and supported. 
The shells, both above and below, which to an 
inattentive observer seeni only each a single 
piece, are in reality bound together at the 
edc^es by very strong and hard ligaments, pre- 
serving some small share of motion, .At the 
opposite edges of this vaulted body, there are 
two holes : one, for a very small head, shoul- 
ders, and arms, to peep through; the other, 
for the feet and the tail From these shells 
the anirrial is never disengaged ; and, as the 
head, tailj and legs, can be almost wholly 
troriceaTc9 at pleasure, they afford it, in gene- 
r;i], a secure defence, against every species 
of 
