20 
ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 
[upper 
it would have been able to overpower and swallow an animal of twice 
or thrice that size. Case 13. The Colubrine Snakes, many of which 
have poison-fangs, such as the Sea-snakes found in the seas of Asia 
and Australia; the Coral Snakes, banded with black and red rings ; 
the Cobra Snakes, which can dilate the skin of the neck so as to 
form a kind of hood behind the head : they are the snakes used by 
the Indian jugglers, who carefully extract the poison-fangs before 
using them in the performances. The Tree Snakes called, from the 
great length of their bodies, the Coachwhip Snakes ; one kind has 
the nose much produced. 
Cases 14-22. The Tortoises and Turtles. Cases 14, 15. The 
Land Tortoises living on vegetable substances. Some of the largest 
kinds of this tribe have been mentioned above {p. 18). Specimens of 
the singular Abingdon Tortoise {Testudo ahingdonii) are exhibited in 
this room ; they come from Abingdon Island (Galapagoes Archipelago), 
where they w^ere quite recently discovered by Commodore Cookson, of 
H.M.S. Petrel. Their shell is so thin as to be easily pierced by a 
knife. Cases 16-19. The Fresh- water Tortoises living on animal 
food ; some of these cannot withdraw their heads into the cavity of 
the shell like the other Tortoises. Cases 20-22. The Three-clawed 
Terrapins living in the rivers of Africa, Asia, and America ; they are 
carnivorous, and eat their food in the water. The Marine Turtles 
live in the ocean, feeding chiefly on sea- weeds and shell-fish ; these 
include the Green Turtle, the fat of which is so much relished by the 
gourmand ; the imbricated Turtle, which furnishes the " tortoise shell." 
Cases 22-25. The Crocodiles and Amphisb^.nas. The Cro- 
codiles and Alligators drown their prey before devouring it; the 
Alligators are only found in America ; the Crocodiles in Australia, 
India, Africa, and America ; the Gavial, or long-beaked Crocodile, is 
peculiar to India, and feeds chiefly on fishes, for taking which its long 
and slender snout and sharp teeth are well adapted. The Amphis- 
bsenas are so called from both ends being nearly equally blunt, which 
has led to the idea that they could move backwards or forwards with 
equal ease. 
Case 26. The Batrachia, such as the Toads, Frogs, and Efts; 
the Tree-frogs can walk on polished surfaces, and over the smoothest 
leaves ; the Bull-frogs of America, so called from their loud bellowing 
noise ; the horned Frogs of Brazil ; the Pipa of Brazil, which trans^fers 
the eggs into cells on the back of the female, where they are hatched, 
passing through the form of the tadpole, and escaping as a 
perfect animal after a certain period ; the great Salamander from 
Japan, the Siren of Carolina, which looks like an eel, with front 
legs — it is a truly amphibious animal, with lungs and gills; as is 
the Proteus of the caves of Carniola, which is here further exemplified 
by a wax model, to show its appearance when alive ; the coral- 
coloured appendages to the head are the gills. 
The Table Cases (1 to 10) contain the Echini, or Sea-eggs, such as 
the Club-spined Echinus and the Tessellated Echinus ; the spines 
readily fall off when the animal is dead. Tables 7, 8. Sea-Pancakes, 
