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FrcJJ:) Water turtle, commonly called Soft Shelled 
’Turtle, Tab. X. 
‘‘ They are found m large quantities In Savannah 
and Alatamaha rivers j and I have been told that 
they are very common in the rivers in Eafl Florida. , 
“ They grow to very large fizes, though the larged: 
that ever I heard of was feventy pounds. 
“ The Turtle, which I now have by nae, weighs 
twenty pounds ; and probably, when I firfl got it, it 
might have weighed from twenty-five to thirty 
pounds, as I have obferved that it has grown poorer 
every day. I have had it now near three months, 
and I never could obferve that it has eaten any thing 
that has been given it, though a variety of things 
have been tried. 
“ It is twenty inches long from one end of the flaell 
or covering to the other, and fourteen inches and a 
half broad. The colour of this fiiell or covering, in 
general, is dark brown, with a greenifh call. 
“ The middle part is hard,lT:rong, and bony; but all 
round the fides, efpecially towards the tail and 
hindermofi: part, it is cartilaginous, foft and pliable, 
refembling thick tanned fole-Ieather, yielding very 
eafily to any force in any diredion whatever, but 
thick enough and flrong enough to defend the animal 
from any injury. All the hind part of the back Is 
full of oblong fmooth knobs ; and the fore part, juft 
where it covers the head and neck, is ifudded full of 
large knobs. The under fide of this plate is very 
beautiful, 
