AFRICAN TORTOISE* 
their food untaught. The shell, with which 
they ar€ from the first covered, expands and 
grows larger with age ; being composed of a 
variety of pieces, all capable of extension at 
their sutures, so that the shell admits of in- 
crease in every dire6tion. Thus the covering 
of the Tortoise grows larger, as the internal 
parts expand ; resembling, in some measure, 
the growth of the human skull, which is com- 
posed of a number of bones, increasing in size 
proportionably to the quantity of brain. 
Though the Tortoise, in a domestic state, 
will eat almost any thing, it prefers fruits, 
leaves, corn, bran, or grass; and is said sel- 
dom to prey even on snails, worms, or insedh, 
except when other food is scarce. It is, how- 
ever, kept frequently in gardens , for the ex- 
press purpose of devouring these animals ; 
and, in warm climates, is reputed to be a great 
destroyer of bugs. It is by no means uncom- 
mon for children to get on the back of a 
Tortoise; and, such is it*s sti-ength, that it 
never seems overloaded, but moves off with 
it's burden to where it expedls to be fed, though 
it can seldom be induced to proceed farther. 
The 
