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The Land -Tortoise from Carolina. 
II E Figure fhews its natural Bignefs: It differs from the African Land-Tor- 
J| toile laft defcribed, in having no Tail ; tho’ it feems to have the Rudiment 
of a Tail, at the Extremity whereof the Vent is placed, which in thefe Animals is 
fingle as in Birds; it differs alfo from the former in having the low r er Side of the 
Shell in two Parts, divided acrofs the Middle of the Belly, and joined to the upper 
Shell on the Sides by a tough, tho’ flexible Skin ; by which Means it can (when it 
draws in its Head and Legs) clofe or fhut up its Shell as firmly as that of an Oyfter. 
The Shell of the before defcribed is fixed, and cannot be fhut, but on contra&ing 
its Head and Legs the Spaces are filled up, and defended by its horny Nofe and 
Legs forwards, and the Heels of the hinder Legs, which are alfo fcaly. 
The Head is covered with a hard or fhelly Covering, of a dark-brown Colour 
on the Top; on the Sides and Throat it is Yellow, with fmall black or dufky Spots. 
Its Noftrils are near together a little above the End of its Beak ; the Eyes are of 
a yellowifh Colour : The Neck is covered with a loofe Skin, of a dark-purplilh 
Flelh-Colour, which partly covers the Head when it is not fully extended ; the 
hinder Legs and Parts about the Vent are covered with Skin of the fame dull Fleflu- 
Colour as the Neck; the Fore-Legs and Feet are cover’d with yellow hard Scales; 
it hath five Toes on each Foot forwards, and four on each of the hinder Feet, all 
armed with pretty fir on g Claws of a dufky Colour. The Shell above is pretty 
rifing and round, divided into feparate Scales, of the horny Subfiance called 
Tortoife-Shell ; each Scale is engraven as it were with Rings round its Extremities, 
which leffen inwards to its Center; the Shell above is of a dufky-brown Colour, 
with yellowifh Spots of various Forms; underneath it is flattifh, and of a yellow 
Colour, with black Clouds and Spots. 
Thefe fmall Tortoifes are generally call’d Turapins by the Englifh refiding in 
America : This was brought from South Carolina , and prefented to me alive by my 
Friend Mr. Alexander Light , whom I have mention’d in the former Part of this 
Work. I formerly was of Opinion that only hot and temperate Climates produced 
the Land-Tortoife, but I am informed, that there is a Species of the Tortoife found 
in Hudfon's-Bay , about fome of the Englifh Settlements. I faw in the Hands of 
my obliging Friend Mr. Ifham , a Tobacco Box fet in Silver, having the upper 
Shell of a Tortoife for its Cover, and the under Shell for a Bottom : The upper 
was rifing, and the under fiattifh, both of a light-yellowifh Horn-Colour, without 
Spots, and I think about the Size of the above-deferibed. Mr. JJham afiur’d me, 
he brought the Shell from Hudfon’s-Bay, and that it was the natural Produce of 
that Country. 
The 
f 
