the year 1753, a hundred and twenty years after wards; and at last it perished from an unfortunate neglect of the gardener.-In the year 1765, a Tortoise was living in the garden of Samuel Simmons, Esq. at Sandwich in Kent, which was known to have been there from about the year 1679, but how long before that period no one could say with certainty. There is, however, good reason for supposing it to have been brought thither from the West Indies by a gentleman of the name of Boys, who was owner of the premises several years before the first period. This animal died in the winter of 1767. It appeared that it had endeavoured (according to its annual custom) to burrow into the ground; but having selected for this purpose a spot near an old vine, its progress was obstructed by the roots, and it probably had not strength enough to change its situation, as it was found dead with only half its body covered. About thirty years before its death, it got out of the garden, and was much injured by the wheel of a loaded waggon, which went over it, and cracked its upper shell. The horrid experiments of Rhedi, to prove the extreme vital tenacity of the Tortoise, are a disgrace to the philosophic page. In one instance he made a large opening in the skull, and drew out all the brain, washing the cavity, so as not to leave the smallest part remaining, and then, with the hole open, set the animal at liberty. It marched off, as *Bib. Topog. Brit. No. xxvii. he says, without seeming to have received the slightest injury, save from the closing of its eyes, which it never afterwards opened. In a short time the hole was observed to close, and in about three days a complete skin covered the wound: in this manner the animal lived, without the brain, for six months, walking about, and still moving its limbs as it did previously to the operation*. The males of this species are said to fight very often. This is done by butting at each other, and with such force that the blows may be heard at a considerable distancet. In Greece these Tortoises form an article of food. The inhabitants also swallow the blood without any culinary preparation, and are very partial to the eggs, when made palatable by boiling. In the gardens of some part of Italy, there are formed for the purpose wells, in which the inhabitants bury the eggs of the Tortoise, These remain till the ensuing spring, when, by the natural warmth of the climate, they are hatched, and the youngones come forth, The Tortoises are kept in banks of earth. THE SNAKE TORTOISE §. This animal inhabits the stagnant waters of North La Cepede, i. 189. Shaw's Gen. Zool. iii. 9. Skippon's Travels: Churchill's Coll. vi. 501. SYNONYMS. Testudo serpentina. Linn. Serrated Tortoise. -- Penn. Snapping Tortoise, in some parts of America, Snake Tortoise. Shaw. Shaw's Gen. Zool. vol. 3. tab. 19. America, and when full grown weighs from fifteen to twenty pounds. The shield is oval, and somewhat depressed: the middle pieces, whieh are thirteen in number, each rise into a kind of obtuse point. The margin, near the tail, is deeply serrated. The head is large, flat, triangular, and covered with a warty skin. The mouth is wide, and the mandibles are sharp. The neck, though it appears short and thick when the animal is at rest, is capable of being stretched out to a third of the length of the shell. The toes are connected by a web, and the claws are long and stout. The tail is straight, and about two-thirds of the length of the shell. In its general colour this species is of a dull chestnut brown, paler beneath than above. It preys on fish, young water-fowl, &c. which it seizes with great force, at the same time stretching out its neck and hissing. Whatever it once seizes in its mouth it holds so tenaciously, that it will suffer itself to be raised up rather than quit its hold. It lies concealed in muddy waters in such a manner as to leave out only a part of its back, appearing like a stone or rough piece of wood; by which means it is enabled the more easily to lay hold of such snimals as unguardedly venture near it. The two following Species are Marine Tortoises, or, as they are usually denominated, Turtles. THE GREEN TURTLE*. This species is found in great quantities on the coasts of all the islands and continents on the Torrid Zone, both in the old and new worlds. The shoals which surround these islands, and border the whole coasts of these continents, produce vast quantities of alga, and other marine plants, which, though covered by the water, are near enough to the surface to be readily seen by the naked eye during calm weather. Amid these submarine pastures, a number of marine animals are found; and, among them, prodigious multitudes of Turtles. In these meadows, as they may be called, the Green Turtle is often seen, in vast numbers, feeding quietly on the plants which they produce†. As the Turtles find a constant abundance of food on the coasts which they frequent, they have no occasion to quarrel with animals of their own kind for that which is afforded in such plenty to them all. Being able, like the other species of Amphibia, to live even for many months without SYNONYMS. Testudo Mydas. Linn. Common Green Turtle, Common Turtle. Esculeut Turtle. Green Turtle. Shaw.Shaw's Gen. Zool, vol. 3. tab. 22. + La Cepede, i. 80. food, they flock peaceably together. They do not however appear, like many other herding animals, to have any kind of association together: they merely collect, as if by accident, and they remain without disturbance. Their length is is often five feet or upwards; and they sometimes exceed five or six hundred pounds in weight. Their shell is broader before than be. hind, where it is somewhat pointed. It consists of thirteen brownish divisions, surrounded by twentyfive marginal ones. The mouth is so large as to open beyond the ears on each side. This is not armed with teeth, but the bones of which the jaws are composed are very hard and strong, and furnished with points or asperities that serve in some degree the same purpose. With these powerful jaws they browse on the grass, sea-weed, and other plants which grow on the shoals and sand-banks, and with them they are likewise able to crush the shell-fish on which they sometimes feed. After having satisfied their appetites with marine plants, they often retire to the fresh water, at the mouth of the great rivers, where they float on the surface, holding their heads above water, apparently for the purpose of breathing the fresh air. But as they are surrounded with many dangers, both from their natural enemies, and from mankind, they are necessitated to use great precaution, in thus indulging themselves with cool air, and with the refreshing streams of river water. they perceive even the shadow of any The instant object, from |