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The African Land- Tortoise. 
T H E Figure reprefents it of its natural Bignefs: I had the Male and Female 
of this Species 5 they lived two Years with me, in the Garden of the College of 
' Thyfcians , London. In the warm Months they copulated by Leaping, in the com¬ 
mon Way of moll four-footed Animals. I was in Hopes of propagating the Species, 
but could never fee any of their Eggs in the Places where they fcraped Holes. 
The Iris of the Eye was of a reddifh Hafel-Colour j the Lips were hard, like the 
Bill of a Bird ; the Head was cover’d with Scales of a yellowifh Colour ; the Neck, 
hinder Legs and Tail, were covered with a flexible Skin of a dirty Flefh-Colour, that 
they might be the more pliable to be put forth and drawn into the Shell. The Fore- 
Legs were cover’d with yellow Scales on their Outfides, which are partly expofed 
when the Legs are drawn in. The Shell is round, and pretty much riflng on its 
upper Side, and flat underneath ; it is divided into many Compartments, or feparate 
Scales, which have Furrows or Creafes all round them, leflening one within another 
to the middle Part of each Scale. The Shell is of a yellowifh Colour, clouded and 
fpotted with large and fmall irregular Spots of Dufky or Black ; the Vent is in the 
Tail itfelf, which the Female "turns up in Coition, and the Male turns his Tail in¬ 
ward under it, which brings the Vents of each to touch. It hath five Claws on each 
Foot forwards, and four on each of the hinder Feet. When they apprehend Danger, 
they draw the Head, Tail and Legs into the Shell, fo that they cannot be, eafily 
hurt. 
This Tortoife was fent to me from Santa-Cruz in Wefl Barbary , by my late Friend 
Mr. Lhomas Rawlings. Merchant, who died there [Anno 1748] after fome Years 
Settlement in that Country. 
l^he fmall fpotted Grey Lizard. 
X T S natural Bignefs is exprefs’d by the Figure : It is rather covered with a rough 
Skin than with Scales; it is all over of an Afh, or greyifh Colour ; the Skin is a 
little rough or warty ; it is fpotted on its upper Side with fmall dufky Spots; on the 
Belly with larger; and had fome Rings of the fame dufky Colour round its Tail. It 
hath five Toes on each of its Feet; the Toes are all of equal Length, contrary to what 
they are in other Lizards. I take it to be a Species of that Genus of moift Lizards, 
which we in England call Efts, which are commonly found in wettifli Places, and 
under Stones. This was brought from Lurkey, and given to my worthy Friend, Dr. 
John Fothergill, of the College of P byfidians, London , who obliged me with a Sight of 
it. It is near of Kin to Tetiver s fmall Carolina Salamander. See his Catalogue , Fig. 
535. It is of the Bignefs, and near the Shape of the above defcribed, but differs prin* 
cipally in having larger and more diftindt Spots j the Colour of it is not mentioned. 
The 
