42 
NATURAL HISTORY. [UPPER FLOOR. 
Tortoises, as the Indian Tortoise ( Testudo indica ) and the 
Radiated Tortoise ( Testudo radiata) ; the American Box 
Tortoise ( Testudo clausa ) ; many species of Terrapin 
(.Emys ) from America and India ; some very young Tur¬ 
tles ( Chelonia ); and the head of a very large specimen, 
from the Indian Ocean. 
In one of the Windows are placed some large specimens of 
Snakes, as the Indian Rock Snake (Python), a large 
Rattle-Snake ( Crotalus ), the Mourning Snake (Coluber 
pullatus) and the Crimson-sided Snake (Coluber por- 
phyriacus): in the other is a skeleton of the Rock Snake, 
{Python bocsformis). 
In the Table Cases, in the centre of the room, are 
arranged the general collection of Radiated Animals. 
The Sea-Eggs are at once known from the Star-Fish 
by the body being covered with a hard shell, formed of 
numerous small pieces, placed on bands, and by their not 
possessing a radiated or stellar form. The shell is covered 
with moveable spines, which serve as organs of locomo¬ 
tion, and also enable the animals to bury themselves in the 
sand when left on the beach by the retreating tide ; it is 
likewise pierced with rows of minute pores, through 
which are emitted small tentacula with dilated ends, by 
which they attach themselves to rocks and other ma¬ 
rine bodies. The Sea-Eggs are divided into several groups, 
according to the shape of the body, and the position of 
the mouth and anal orifice. 
In the first group, Spatangus, (Case 1,) the shell is 
nearly heart-shaped, with an oval compressed mouth 
placed in the front part on the under side, and the other 
orifice on the hinder margin. The upper part of the shell 
has the pores arranged in five short bands, resembling 
the petals of a flower. The shells of this group are thin 
and brittle, and the mouth of the animal, destitute of 
teeth, is often surrounded by a series of tentacula. 
In the second group, the mouth is in the centre of the 
under part, and the other orifice placed in or beneath the 
hinder margin. In some of these the shells are thin, and 
the series of pores arranged in vertical bands, extending 
from the top of the shell to the mouth ; as in the genus 
Echinolampas (Case 1). The genus Galerites (Case 3), 
is only found in the fossil state. 
