913 
T E S T U D O. 
n.—Fluviatile, with palmated feet, shell joined with the 
sternum by a membrane, and supported in the middle 
on both sides, by two processes of the sternum. 
6. Testudo orbicularis.—The testudo Europea of Schneider, 
with oval, flattish, smooth, dark brown shell, marked with 
very numerous, yellowish specks and streaks. This speckled 
tortoise of the “ Naturalist’s Miscellany,” or testudo meleagris, 
is of small size, the shell measuring about four or five inches 
in length, and its disk composed of thirteen, and the margin 
of twenty-five pieces; the under shell whiteish-yellow, 
tinged towards the joints with brown; the head ovate, 
somewhat convex above, and flattish on each side and be¬ 
neath; the skin of the neck lax and wrinkly; the legs 
short and scaly, feet webbed, fore feet having five toes and 
hinder only four; the claws on all the feet sharp-pointed, 
and crooked; the tail nearly half as long as the body, thin, 
attenuated, compressed and scaly, and also spotted like the 
body. 
This elegant species is a native of many parts of Europe, 
being found in Italy, Sardinia, France, Hungary, Prussia, 
&c„ inhabiting lakes and muddy waters, and feeding on 
aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. The flesh is 
said to be good as food, for which purpose it is sold in the 
markets, and occasionally kept in ponds, and fed or fattened 
with lettuce-leaves, bread, &c. &c. It may be conveniently 
kept iu a cellar, and fed with oats, scattered on the floor, 
which it greedily eats when they begin to germinate. It 
deposits its eggs in sandy and sunny places in the beginning 
of spring, which are not hatched, as it is pretended, till the 
succeeding spring. 
7. Testudo membranacea.—With three claws on the 
feet, and well striated on the back, membranaceous, ovate, 
and grey.—Found in the sea that washes Guiana.—See 
Testudo ferox. 
8. Testudo triunguis.—With three claws on the feet; the 
disk of the back rugose and orbiculated, the lower border 
smooth, and nostrils in a cylinder elevated above and pro¬ 
jecting beyond the head.—Found rarely in the Nile, and 
supposed to be the same with the former. 
9. Testudo cartilaginea.—Shell orbicular, membranaceous, 
striated on the back; three elaws on the feet, and nose 
cylindric and prolongated. This is the testudo Boddaerti 
and a rare species. See the next article. 
10. Testudo ferox, or fierce tortoise.—With ovate, ^cartila¬ 
ginous shell; three claws on the feet, and tubular, prominent 
nostrils. Dr. Shaw queries whether the testudo rostrata of 
Schcepf, the testudo with palmated feet, &c. of Thunberg, the 
testudo cartilaginea of Boddaert, the testudo Boddaerti of 
Schneider,' the testudo triunguis of Forskal, and the testudo 
membranacea of Blumenberg, do not belong to this species 
This is a remarkable species, and distinguished by the unusual 
nature of its shield, which is hard and osseous only in the 
middle part, while the edges gradually degenerate into a flexi¬ 
ble coriaceous verge; obscurely marked with five or six trans¬ 
verse bands, and granulated with small warts or prominences, 
gradually enlarging as they approach the flexible edge; 
the head rather small, somewhat trigonal, with the snout 
much lengthened, and the upper part drawn out into a sub- 
cylindric form, terminated by the nostrils, and projecting 
much beyond the lower mandible; the neck, when retracted, 
thick, and surrounded with many folds of skin, but when 
exserted, equal in length to that of the whole shell; the 
legs short, thick, and covered with a wreathed skin; the 
feet furnished with strong and broad webs, connecting the 
three last toes of each; the three first on each foot furnished 
with strong claws, and the remaining ones unarmed ; having, 
besides the proper toes, two spurious ones on the hind and 
one on the fore feet, strengthening and expanding the web; 
the tail short, pointed and curving inwards; the eyes very 
small and round; the colour above deep-brownish olive, and 
below white; the shell marked beneath in a very elegant 
manner, with ramifications of vessels. 
This species is found in Pennsylvania, Carolina, &c. &c.; 
and is possessed, differently from most others of the tribe, of 
Vol. XXIII. No. 1617. 
considerable vigour and swiftness of motion, springing to¬ 
wards its assailant, when attacked, with great alacrity and 
fierceness; about a foot and half long, and fifteen inches 
broad. It was first described by Dr. Garden. Its flesh is 
said to be extremely delicate, being equal, if not superior 
even to that of the green turtle. The great soft-billed 
turtle, described by Mr. Bartram in his travels, appears to 
be the same with this.—Found in all the rivers, lakes, and 
pools of East Florida, weighing from 30 to 40 pounds. 
The testudo rostrata of Thunberg seems to be the young of 
the species above described; and the testudo triunguis of 
Forskall, is allied to the same species. Shaw. 
11. Testudo scabra.—With smooth discoloured head, and 
shield, oval, convex, carinated and rough. The scabra of 
Linnaeus is described as having palmated feet and flattish shell, 
with all the intermediate scutella elevated on the back. The 
shell of this species is figured by Seba; it measures about 
two inches and a (half in length, and nearly two inches in 
breadth; being of a cordated figure, or somewhat pointed 
at the bottom. Its colour is light-reddish variegated on the 
head and shell with white lines and spots, the feet marked 
with red specks, and having each five toes with sharp claws; 
the head prominent, and eyes small. Shaw. 
12. Testudo squamata, or scaly tortoise.—With ovate body, 
smooth beneath, but covered above, together with the neck, 
feet, and tail, with numerous scales. According to Bontius, 
in his history of Java, this singular species is an inhabitant 
of fresh waters, where it burrows under the banks, in order 
perhaps to deposit its eggs. The Javanese call it taunah , 
or the digger, and the Chinese lary, or the runner, a bur¬ 
lesque title given to it on account of its slow space. Its 
flesh is said to be extremely delicate; and the Chinese use 
the pulverized scales, dissolved in water, as a remedy in 
dysenteric cases and against the cholic. It is said to prey on 
small fish. This species seems to connect the lizard and 
tortoise tribes. Shaw. 
13. Testudo lutaria; mud or brown tortoise.—With flatt¬ 
ish shell, and tail half the length of the body; carinated, 
says Gmelin, behind with three scutella. This species is 
said to be common in many parts of Europe, as well as 
Asia, being found in India, Japan, &c. According to 
Cepede, it is not more than seven or eight inches from the 
tip of the nose to that of the tail, and about three or four 
inches in breadth; the disk consists of thirteen pieces, 
striated and slightly punctated in the centre, and along the 
middle range, runs a logitudinal carina; the margin consists 
of twenty-three pieces, bordered with slight striae; the colour 
of the shell is blackish and also of the skin; the feet are 
webbed, with five toes before, and four behind; the exterior 
toe of each foot is unarmed; the tail is stretched out in 
walking, from which circumstance the animal has been 
called “ Mus aquatilis.” Like other tortoises, it sometimes 
utters a kind of broken hiss.—This animal is common in 
France, and particularly in Languedoc and many parts of 
Provence; and in a lake situated in the plain of Durance, 
such numbers were found as to supply the neighbouring 
peasantry for more than three months. Although the species 
be aquatic, it always lays its eggs on land, digging a hollow 
and covering them with mould. This animal is useful in a 
garden, which it frees from noxious animals, without doing 
any mischief itself. It may be domesticated, and kept in 
a bason or receptacle of water, so contrived on the edges 
as to give it a ready egress, when it wishes to wander 
about for prey. In fish ponds, it is destructive. Shaw. 
Gmelin mentions two varieties, viz., testudo tabulata and 
testudo campanulata. 
14. Testudo scorpoides.—See Testudo fimbriata. 
15. Testudo hermanni.—With four claws on the feet, and 
the tip of the tail unguiculated.—See Testudo Tricarinata. 
Gmelin mentions several varieties of this species. 
16. Testudo Carolina.—With digitated feet, gibbous shell, 
and no tail. This is the testudo clausa, or close tortoise of 
Linnseus and other writers, with blackish shell, irregularly 
spotted with yellow, with obtuse dorsal carina, and bivalve 
10 Z under- 
