NORTH AMERICA® 2/7 
la ft are become very fcarce, and when feen are dif- 
oovered about old log buildings. 
Here are feveral fpecies of the tortoife, befides 
thofe already mentioned ; as the fmall land tor- 
toife, already defcribed by every traveller. T here 
Is a good figure and defcription of him in G. 
Edwards’s Gl. Nat. Hift. vol. II. p. 205. There 
are two fpecies of frefh-water tortoifes inhabiting 
the tide water rivers; one of which is large, weigh- 
ing ten or twelve pounds, the back fhell of nearly 
an oval form, and raifed very high, the belly 
fhell flat and entire, but deeply fcolloped oppoflte 
the legs. The other fpecies are fmall, com- 
paratively, and the back fhell lightly raifed : both 
fpecies are food for mankind and efleemed deli- 
rious. 
Of beafts, the otter (lutra) is common, but more 
fo in Weft-Florida, towards the mountains. The 
feveral fpecies of muflela are common ; as the 
mink, weafel and polecat (putorius). Racoons and 
opoflums are in great abundance ; thefe animals 
are efleemed delicious and healthy food. There 
are two fpecies of wild-rats ; 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 $ 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 fnow, and their eyes red. There are 
yet a few beavers in Eaft-Florida and Georgia, but 
they abound moft in the north of Georgia, and in 
Weft-Florida, near the mountains. But the mnfk- 
rat (caftor cauda lanceolata) is never feen in Ca- 
rolina, Georgia or Florida, within one hundred 
miles of the fea coafl, and very few in the moft 
T 3 northern 
