Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 8, ELE-FOR

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13. TeSTUDO CoNCEVTRICA ; Te/htdo Palujiris, Lin.
Concentric Tortoife.
Specif Char.—Shell fomewhat depreffed, flightly ridged,
oval, of a yellow colour j having the fcutella marked
with brown concentric zoney.
The (hell of this fpecies is (latter than that of others 5
in fome of the larger; fpecimens nearly fmooth : the
middle row of pieces, of which the difc is compofed,
are five in number j they are more elevated than thofe
of the fides, are fix-fided, and projeifl behind into an
obtufe carina. There are four fide-pieces on each iide,
which are pentagonal. The ground colour of the whole
is pale, and marked with brown zones and centres. The
(hell is from four to fix inches long.
This tortoife is a native of North America, and is
met with in the markets at Philadelphia, where it is fold
under the name of terrapin. It is alfo a native of
Jamaica, where it is very common. It is faid, by
Browne, who feems firft to have deferibed it, to be a
wholefome and delicate food. In that illand, it grows
to the length of eight or nine inches.
14. Testudo Picta, Painted Tortoife.
Specif. Char.—The fiv-dl is oblong, and flightly convex,
fmooth, and of a brown colour; the (eutella are bor¬
dered with yellow.
This fpecies is well diilinguiflied from all others, by
the remarkable colours of the ihield, which confifts of
I 3 fegments nearly fquare, and deeply edged with pale
yellow. The marginal pieces are 25 in number. The
(hell is from four to fix inches long.
The painted tortoife frequents frefli waters, and in
particular, is found in the flow and deep rivers of North
America. In bright funlhine weather they leave the
water in great numbers, and balk themfelves on Hones,
pieces of wood, and the banks of the (dreams, fuddenly
retreating into the water, when they are difturbed.
They walk very (lowly, but fwim with great rapidity.
They can remain for many hours together under the
water, but live only a few days in the open air. They
are extremely voracious, and are known to deftroy young
aquatic fowls, feizing them by the feet, and dr gging
them under water. Sometimes they are employed for
the purpofe of food.
15. Testudo Guttata, Spotted Tortoife.
Specif. Char.—Shell oblong, flightly convex, fmooth,
and of a brown colour, with fcattered yellow fpots.
This fpecies is alfo fufficiently diftinguifhed by its
remarkable colour. The pieces both of the difc and
margin being marked with a few diftantly placed
round yellow fpots. Thefe fpots vary, as well as the
ground, in different individuals. The young of this
fpecies, which itfelf is fmall, are not larger than a
pigeon’s egg, are very black, and beautifully (potted
with gold colour.
This tortoife is a native of North America, frequent¬
ing lakes and rivers.
16. Testudo El^gans, Elegant Tortofe.
Specif Char.—-The (hell is round, convex, and of a
yellow colour, with tranfverfe, oval, brown fpots.
This is a very fmall fpecies, only about two inches
long •, the (hell is of a bright yellowr colour, the furface
apparently fmooth. At each of the joinings which
compote the dife, there is a large, leaf-(haped, dark
brown tranfverfe (pot. The marginal pieces are marked
with a tranfverfe black zone 5 the head is (hort and
thick.
Nothing particular is knowm of its natural hiftory,
or to what country it belongs.
17. Testudo Areolata, Areolated Tortofe.
Specif Char.—The (hell is flightly convex j the fcu¬
tella are nearly four-fided, elevated, deeply furrowed,
and are furnifhed with depreffed rough areolae.
The length of this fpecies is from three to four inches.
The fcutella, which are nearly four-fided, are broader
than long, with a pretty large, depreffed, central
part, which is of a yellow colour, roughifh, and fur-
rounded by a pale zone. The margin is compofed of
23 pieces j the difc, in fome individuals, of 1 5, and in
others of 14.
This tortoife, according to fome, is a native of Brazil,
according to others, of the Eail Indies.
18. Testudo Serrata, Serrated Tortofe. Tejludo
Spenglcri, Lin.
Specif. Char.—Shell depreffed, of a yellow colour, and
minutely freckled with du(ky fpecks. The fcutella
of the difc are all ridged ; the hinder margin of the
(hell ferrated.
This tortoife is confidered and deferibed by Dr Shaw
as a new fpecies 5 it is fmall, only about three quarters
of an inch long, and about two inches and a half
broad. It is of an oval form, and flightly convex.
The colour is of a yellowifti brown, and when clofely
examined, appears thickly marked with minute, con¬
fluent, dufky fpots. The under (hell is blackilh, with a
yellow margin.
The native country of this fpecies is unknown.
19. Testudo PusiELA,Z//y/<? Tortofe. African Land
Tortoife of Edwrards.
Specif. Char.—Shell hemifpherical, with convex, trape¬
zoidal fcutella, ftriated on the margin, and dotted on.
the difc. Feet fubdigitated.
The (hell of this fpecies meafures only about four
inches in length. The whole animal, from the tip of
the nofe to the end of the tail, does not exceed fix.
This fpecies has a confiderable refemblance to the com-
mon tortoife, orIt is particularly de¬
feribed by Edwards, who kept two of them which he
received from Weft Barbary for two years in the gar¬
den of the college of phyficians in London j but of its
natural hiftory, nothing farther is known.
20. Testudo Tricarinata, Tricarinated Tortoife.
Specif. Char.—Shell oval, flightly convex ; margin en¬
tire ) all the fcutella of the difc carinated.
This fpecies refembles a good deal the tejludo orbicu¬
laris, Lin. In fize it fcarcely exceeds that of a large
walnut j the colour is blackiih ; the (hell is compofed
Mm2 of