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Gopher Tortoise
Colouration.—The shell of the adult specimen is dull brown, perfectly uniform in colour with those individuals that possess smoothly-worn shells, but with obscure, dull yellow blotches in the centres of the shields (one in each shield) on younger specimens. These blotches may be intensified by moistening the carapace. They are pronounced on very young specimens. The plastron is uniform, dull yellow. The skin of the limbs is a dull brown or gray; that of the head is darker. The eyes are dark and bead-like.
Dimensions.—The measurements given are of an adult, female specimen, from Marion County, Florida:
Distribution.—South Carolina to Florida (including both states) and westward into western Texas.
Habits.—In this reptile we have a typical example of the true tortoise--a terrestrial, slow-going, herbivorous, and, in proportion to its size, wonderfully strong creature. While lacking in agility as compared with the turtles, the Tortoises exhibit considerably more intelligence than the former.
Size large. Shell rather high, but flattened on the top; bluntly rounded at front and rear. Upper surface quite smooth with old individuals, but showing many sharp, concentric grooves in the shields of young specimens. The head is blunt and rounded; the tail is very short. The plastron is thick and heavy, the rear portion notched, the front projecting beyond the edge of the carapace in the shape of a thick and narrow process, which is bent sharply upward, owing to the upward slant of the front lobe of the plastron.
The front portions of the forelimbs are covered with large and thick scaly plates. The terminal joint of the limb is flat and along the margin are very large, horn-like scales; at the bend of the limb there is one of these spines considerably more developed than the others; it is usually attended by several spines irregularly larger than those of the marginal row. The hind limbs are covered with a finer scalation and resemble, in miniature, the feet of an elephant. All four feet possess very stout, blunt claws. The general make-up is as strongly suggestive of a terrestrial life, as that of a flat-shelled, web-footed turtle points toward an aquatic existence.
Length of Carapace. . . . .11 1/2 inches.
Width of Carapace. . . . .8 inches.
Length of Plastron. . . . .11 1/2 inches.
Width of Plastron. . . . .7 1/2 inches.
Width of Forearm. . . . .2 inches.
Width of Head. . . . .2 inches.
The weight of a specimen showing the preceding dimensions--these representing one of fairly large size--would be about nine pounds. From the measurements, it will be seen that the length of the shell is considerably in excess of the width. This character is important in distinguishing the species from Berlandier's Tortoise, which extends into the former's habitat, in the western portion.
The Gopher Tortoise is most abundant in dry, sandy areas, where it burrows long tunnels in which to retreat. The writer made several trips into areas frequented by these reptiles. One region in particular, he well remembers. It was a great, barren stretch of sandy country in Hampton County, South Carolina. This region was known as the "sand hills" and was quite useless for agricultural purposes. Over this gently undulating waste was scattered a sparse growth of scrub oak, wire grass, and isolated, stunted weeds. During the middle of the day, the heat upon this miniature desert was almost unendurable for a man. At such times the Tortoises were usually secreted in their burrows. They were found prowling during the very early morning, or on cloudy days. Their burrows were quite numerous. Eight or ten would frequently be counted within a radius of one hundred feet.
The location of a burrow is easily noted by the mound of sand that has been thrown to the surface. From the height and diameter of this mound, the depth of the burrow may be estimated. On these "sand hills," but three or four inches of the surface is dry and shifting; beneath this slight depth, the sand is damp and well packed. Through the damp strata, the Tortoise extends its burrow in a gentle slope from the surface, and, curiously enough, in the exact shape of a transverse section of the creature's shell.
The footprints of the Tortoises are readily followed, and by this method a number of specimens were captured. If a Tortoise has not emerged from its burrow since the night preceding, the fact is made evident by ambitious spiders, which daily spin their webs over the mouths of the shafts. Several of the burrows were measured by running a slender pole into their depth, and were found to extend, in a gently sloping downward direction, for a distance of fourteen feet and over. Recently, investigations have been made of the homes of these creatures and energetic digging was rewarded with results at least interesting to the entomologist, for several species of beetles, belonging to a family popularly known as "rolling beetles," or "tumble bugs" were found living upon the excreta of the tortoises, and, strange to explain, these beetles proved to be a species entirely new to science. It has since been demonstrated that they inhabit only the burrows of this species of tortoise.