2l6 
THE SAVAGE WORLD. 
one kept in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s garden, at Lambeth, that was 
remembered above a hundred and twenty. It was at last killed by the severity 
of a frost, from which it had not sufficiently defended itself in its winter 
retreat, which was a heap of sand at the bottom of the garden.” 
In Murray's Experimental Researches we also find the following very interest¬ 
ing account, relating, however, to a variety of very large tortoises found in 
Europe: 
“ From a document belonging to 'the archives of the cathedral, called the 
Bishop’s Barn, it is well ascertained that the tortoise at Peterborough must 
have been about 220 years old. Bishop Marsh’s predecessor in the see of 
Peterborough had remembered it above sixty years, and could recognize no 
visible change. He was the seventh bishop who had worn the mitre during 
its sojourn there. If I mistake not, its sustenance and abode were provided 
for in this document. Its shell was perforated, in order to attach it to a tree, 
etc., to limit its ravages among the strawberry borders. The animal had its 
antipathies and predilections. It would eat endive, green peas, and even leeks; 
while it positively rejected asparagus, parsley and spinach. 
“All animal food was discarded, nor would it take any liquid, at least 
neither milk nor water, and when it took a leaf that was- moist, it would shake 
it to expel the adhering wet. This animal moved with apparent ease, though 
pressed by a weight of eighteen stone (252 pounds)—itself weighing 13^2 pounds. 
In cloudy weather it would scoop out a cavity, generally in a southern exposure, 
where it reposed torpid and inactive, until the genial influence of the sun 
roused it from its slumbers. Its sense of smell was so acute that it roused 
from its lethargy if any person approached, even at a distance of twelve feet. 
About the beginning of October, or latter end of September, it began to immure 
itself, and had for that purpose for many years selected a particular angle of 
the garden ; it entered in an inclined plane, excavating the earth in the manner 
of a mole; the depth to which it penetrated varied with the character of the 
approaching season, being from one to two feet, according as the winter was 
mild or severe. It may be added, that for nearly a month prior to this entry 
into its dormitory, it refused all sustenance whatever. The animal emerged 
about the end of April, and remained for at least a fortnight before it ventured 
on taking any species of food. Its skin was not perceptibly cold; its respira¬ 
tion, entirely effected through the nostrils, was languid. I visited the animal, 
for the last time, on the 9th of June, 1813, during a thunder storm ; it then lay 
under the shelter of a cauliflower, and apparently torpid.” 
There are above twenty varieties of land tortoises found in both hemi¬ 
spheres, all of which are alike so variable in color that they are difficult to 
describe, each being apparently marked differently from his brother. Of these 
several species the following may be mentioned: 
The Wood Tortoise ( Chelopus insculpta ), found generally in the mountain¬ 
ous region east of the Ohio, is not above six inches in length, and a black 
spot in the centre of each of its scales gives to it a very handsome appearance. 
The Elegant Tortoise (. Pseudemys elegans ) is confined to the region lying 
between Illinois and the Rocky Mountains. Its most characteristic markings 
are a blood-red band on each side of the neck, and a yellow under-shell. 
The Speckled Tortoise {C. guttatus) is common to New England, but is 
found as far west as Lake Michigan. The carapax is black, spotted with 
