ferocious disposition, raising themselves on their legs, and leaping forward with the utmost fury to lay hold of their enemy; and, when they have once fixed, it is extremely difficult to make their jaws quit the hold they have got. They are, in addition to this, both very strong and active.

They are said to be excellent food, and preferable in delicacy of flavour to the Green Turtles*.

THE SNAKE TORTOISET.

This animal inhabits the stagnant waters of North America, and when full-grown weighs from fifteen to twenty pounds.

The shield is oval, and somewhat depressed: the middle pieces, which 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 fkin. 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 chesnut brown, paler beneath than above.

* Paper of Dr. Garden. Phil. Tran. vol. lxi. p. 266. SYNONYMS.-Testudo serpentina. Linn-Serrated Tortoise. Penn.-Snapping Tortoise, in some parts of America. Snake Tor toife. Shaw. Shaw's Gen. Zool. vol. 3. tab. 19.

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 retains with great force, and 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 animals as unguardedly venture near it.

The two following Species are Marine Tortoises, or, as they are usually denominated, Turtles.

THE GREEN TURTLE*.

The Green or Esculent Turtle inhabits various parts of the southern seas; and is brought to this country in great quantities from the West India islands to supply the tables of our epicures. Its length is often five feet or upwards, and it frequently weighs so much as five or six hundred pounds. The shell is broader before than behind, where it is somewhat pointed; and it consists of thirteen brownish divisions, surrounded by twenty-five marginal ones.

It feeds on shell-fish and sea plants, and principally on the Zostera marina, which is often called from this circumstance turtle-grass. Its strength is so great as to allow it to move along with as many men

* SYNONYMS.-Testudo Mydas. Linn.-Common Green Turtle. Common Turtle. Esculent Turtle. Green Turtle. Shaw. -Shaw's Gen. Zool. vol. 3. tab. 22.

as can stand on its back. It sleeps upon its back on the surface of the water. The legs are so far fin-shaped as to be of little other use than to swim with.

The inhabitants of the Bahama islands are peculiarly dexterous in catching the Turtles. In the month of April they go in their boats to the coasts of Cuba, and some of the neighbouring islands, where in the evenings and moonlight nights they watch the going and returning of the animals to and from the shore, where they lay their eggs. They turn them on their backs on the land, and then leave them to perform the same operation on others, as many as they can meet; for, when once turned, they are unable again to get on their feet. Many are taken in the sea, at some distance from the shore: these are struck with a kind of spear whose shaft is about four yards in length. For this work two men usually set out in a small light boat or canoe, one to paddle it gently along and steer, and the other to stand at the head with his weapon. Sometimes the Turtles are discovered swimming with their head and back out of water, but most commonly lying at the bottom where it is a fathom or more deep. If the animal sees that he is discovered, he immediately attempts to escape: the men pursue and endeavour to keep him in sight; and, in the chase, generally so far tire him, that in the course of half an hour he sinks to the bottom, which affords an opportunity to strike him with thé spear through the shell. The head of the spear, which now slips off and is left in his body, is fastened

with a string to the pole; and by means of this apparatus they are enabled to pursue him, if he should not be sufficiently spent without: if, however, that is the case, he tamely submits to be taken into the boat, or hauled ashore.-There are men who by diving to the bottom will get on their backs; and then by pressing them down behind, and raising their fore part, bring them by force to the surface of the water, where some person is in waiting to slip a noose round their neck.

They very seldom go ashore except for the purpose of depositing their eggs in the sand. This is done in April. They dig a hole, at high-water mark, about two feet deep, and drop into it above a hundred eggs; and at this time they are so intent on the operation, that they do not notice any one that approaches them, and they will even drop the eggs into a hat if held under them. If, however, they are disturbed before the commencement of their business, they always forsake the place. They lay their eggs at three and sometimes four different times, fourteen days asunder, so that the young are hatched and come forth also at different times. After having deposited the eggs they scratch the hole up with sand, and leave them to be hatched by the heat of the sun, which is generally done in about three weeks. The eggs are about the size of a tennis-ball, round, white, and covered with a parchment-like skin *.

Sir Hans Sloane has informed us that the inhabitants of Port Royal in Jamaica had formerly no

Catesby, ii. 38.

fewer than forty vessels employed in taking these animals, their markets being supplied with Turtle, as ours are with butchers meat.

The introduction of the Turtle, as an article of luxury, into England, appears to have taken place within the last seventy years.

THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE*.

This is one of the largest species, and in its general appearance has a great resemblance to the last the head however is larger, the shell broader, and the number of segments of the disk is fifteen, of which the middle range is gibbous or protuberant towards their tips. The fore-feet are large and strong, and the hind ones broad and much shorter than these. They inhabit the seas about the West India islands, and they are found in the Mediterranean, but particularly about the coasts of Italy and Sicily.

They are very strong and fierce, defending themselves with great vigour with their legs, and being able to divide very strong substances with their mouth. Aldrovandus assures us that, on offering a thick walking-stick to the gripe of one that he saw publicly exhibited at Bologna, the animal bit it in two in an instant.-Their principal food is shell-fish, which their strong beak enables them easily to break from the rocks.

They range very far over the ocean. One of

* Testudo caretta. Linn.

tab. 23, 24, 25.

+ Shaw's Gen. Zool. iii. 87. VOL. III.

Shaw's Gen. Zool. vol. 3.

C