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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Cortoifes. This fpecies is about one foot and a half in length,
^.v—' and about 15 inches in breadth. The ftiield, which is
hard or olfeous in the middle only, while the edges be¬
come gradually flexible and coriaceous, is a fufficiently
chara£terifl:ic mark of diftinftion. The head is {mail,
and fomewhat trigonal, with the fnout much elongated.
The colour of this fpecies is brownilh j olive above j
and on the under parts white.
This fpecies is a native of Pennfylvania, Carolina,
and other parts of America. It is extremely vigorous
and fwift in its motions, and when it is dilturbed or at¬
tacked, it fprings forward towards its enemy with great
fiercenefs. Some which have been found in the rivers
and lakes of Eaft Florida, weighed from go to 40 lbs.;
and it is faid that they even grow to fuch a fize as to
weigh 70 lbs.
A fpecies dcfcribed by Thunberg, under the name
of teftudo rojlrnta, is fuppofed by Dr Shaw to be an in¬
dividual belonging to the above, not yet arrived at its
full growth. The teftudo triunguis of Forikal feems
alfo to be a variety of this fpecies.
29. Testudo Granulata, Shagreened Tortoife.
Specif. Char.—Shell granulated, orbicular, flattifli j
border cartilaginous.
The fliield of this fpecies meafures about 3^ inches
in length, and 3^- in breadth. It appears as if it were
compofed of Uvo fliields, the upper of which is the fmal-
left and fliorteft. This is of a bony fubftance, roughened
all over like the furface of fhagreen. It is compofed of
23 pieces, eight of which are placed on each fide. The
borders of this fliield are cartilaginous and fomewhat
tranfparent, through which may be feen the ribs of the
animal.
This fpecies is faid to be a native of India ; but of
its habits and natural hiitory nothing is known.
30. Testudo Fimbriata, Fimbriated Tortoife.
Specif Char.—Shell oval, a little convex, and having a
triple ridge j neck fimbriated on each fide 5 fnout
cylindrical, and feet fubdigitated.
The length of the fliell of this fpecies is above 15
inches, and the breadth 11. The length of the animal,,
from the tip of the nofe to the end of the tail, is two
feet three inches. The head is large and flat, edged
on the fides with wrinkled membranaceous appendages,
and covered behind with a threc-lobed prominence.
The nofe is cylindrical, and fomewdiat refembles a pro-
bofcis. It is 10 lines long, truncated, and pierced at
the tip by the noftrils. The difk of the fliell is a little
convex, and compofed of 13 femicircular pieces, which
are nearly conical. They are all wrinkl d, and irre¬
gularly notched at the hinder part. The marginal
pieces are 25 in number, nearly fquare, radiated on the
furface with oblique wrinkles, and toothed on the inner
edge. The colour is brown, and fomewhat paler be¬
neath.
This fpecies is faid to be a native of Guiana, and was
once common in the rivers of Cayenne*, but it is now
rarely to be met with, having been much fought after
as a nourifhing food. Its food is aquatic plants ; and it
is faid that it leaves the river, and wanders about in
the night, to feme diitance from the banks, in fearch of
E R P E T O L O G Y.
pafture. The individual from which the defeription is
taken by M. Bruguierre, was brought to him alive, and
lived for fome time on herbs, bread, and fome other
fubftances. It laid feveral eggs, one of which produ¬
ced a young tortoife in the box where it was kept.
277
Turtles.
31. Testudo Serpentina, Snake Tsrtofe.
Specif Char.—Shell ovate, deprefled, triply carinated^
and (harp fealed j rounded and acutely ferrated at the
pofterior margin.
This fpecies grows to the weight of 15 or 20 lbs.
The general colour is of a dull chefnut brown, but
lighter or paler underneath. The head is large, tri¬
angular, and covered with a warty {kin. The neck is
alfo covered with fcaly warts. The toes, which are
five in number on the fore feet, and four on the hind
feet, are all diflinft, but connefted by means of a web.
They are armed with long claws. Tire tail is ftraight,
two-thirds the length of the fhell, compreffed, and creft-
ed on the upper part with fharp bony feales, pointed
backwards.
This fpecies is a native of North America 5 inhabit¬
ing ftagnant waters, where it preys on fifh, ducklings,.
Stc. feizing its prey with great force. And indeed,
whatever it feizes with its mouth, it holds with fuch
force, that it will fuffer itfelf to be raifed out of the
water rather than quit its hold. The more eafily to
catch its prey, it is laid too, that it conceals itfelf in.
muddy waters, leaving out only part of its back, which
has the appearance of a ftone.
32. Testudo Squamata, Scaly Tortoife.
Specif Char.—Body ovate, fmooth beneath ; but the-
upper part with the neck, feet, and tail, covered with
numerous fcales-.
The
a fnake
(harp,
fcales}
the tail
It is
flefli is
verifed
nefe as
head of this fpecies is fmall, refembling that of
} the eyes- are fmall and moveable, the teeth
All the upper part of the body is covered with
the under parts are foft, fmoolh, and tender y
is pretty long.
faid to be a native of China and Java. The
accounted a great delicacy, and the fcales, pul-
and diffolved in water, are given by the Chi-
a remedy in cafes of dyfentery and colic.
Sect. II. Turtles^ or Sea Tortofes.
The large and long fin-fliaped feet, which inclofe the
bones of the toes, are the moll obvious charadleriftic
marks of diflinftion between the fea tortoifes, and the
fpecies included under the preceding feftion. In the
fea tortoifes the fliield is alfo compofed of a ftrong bony
covering, which is coated externally with hard horny
plates, which in fome of the fpecies are much thicker
and ftronger than thole of the land tortoifes.
33. Testudo Coriacea, Coriaceous Turtle.
Specf. Char.—Colour brown, paler beneath 5 {hell co¬
riaceous, marked with five longitudinal, tubereulated
ribs.
This fpecies, in the form of its body, which is pro¬
portionally longer, and in its outer covering, which is
not