Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/691

 TERRA DEL FUEGO in black or other colors. While these adorn the rim, neck, and stand, the body is some- times covered with allegorical representations of gods, men, and animals. The Romans em- ployed finer materials for their terra cottas, and moulded these into lamps, urns, &c., which they ornamented with depressed or raised fig- ures. From the 12th to the 17th century terra cotta was much used in Italy for archi- tectural decorations, and Michel Angelo and other sculptors employed it for their models and clay sketches. The manufacture of deco- rative works in terra cotta has been an im- portant branch of industry in England since the latter part of the 18th century. The mix- tures employed are of pure clays and fine quartz sand or calcined flints with pulverized potsherds or old pottery. The coats of arms seen over many of the shop fronts in London are moulded and baked in this material. It is also used for statues, baptismal fonts, foun- tains, and ornamental pieces of various forms in different parts of buildings. The ware is much more firmly baked than that of the ancients. Of late years it has been extensively employed for elaborate architectural ornaments, such as are ordinarily carved in stone, and also for architectural models. Drain tiles and similar ware are made of it. It is also an important manufacture in France, and there was a re- markable display of terra cotta statues and other objects in the Paris exhibition of 1867. TERRA DEL FUEGO. See TIEEEA DEL FUEGO. TERRA DI BARI. See BAEI. TERRA DI LAVORO. See CASEETA. TERRA D'OTRAOTO. See LECCE. TERRAPIN, a name commonly applied to sev- eral species of land tortoises, but in the Uni- ted States generally limited to the few fresh- water species of the family emydoidce, exten- sively used as food. They have a depressed head, and the neck can be wholly retracted within the shell; eyes large, and the beak somewhat like that of a bird of prey ; they are good swimmers, and out of the water move with more quickness than the land tortoises ; their food consists of small reptiles, fish, and other aquatic animals, though in captivity they eat vegetables readily. The yellow-bellied ter- rapin (tracTiemys scdbra, Ag. ; emys serrata, Daud.) is 12 in. long, 7i in. wide, and about 11 in. high ; the shell is rounded, very convex, notched in front, deeply serrated behind, wrinkled longitudinally, and rough all over. The color is blackish brown with yellow lines and marks more or less radiating ; sternum yellowish, notched behind ; snout short and pointed ; upper jaw with a very slight notch ; eyes large, with golden iris having a broad black stripe extending horizontally through it ; fingers five, each with a short strong nail, and toes five, fully webbed, four only having nails ; tail short, thick, and pointed ; head and limbs black, varied with yellow lines, a broad transverse band of the latter across the neck behind the eyes. This species lives in stagnant TERRAPIN 661 ponds and pools, and is fond of basking in the sun on the margins and on stones and stumps, whence it can readily plunge into the water if disturbed ; it is found from Virginia to Georgia, south of the latter being replaced by the Florida and north of the former by the red-bellied terrapin ; It is abundant about Charleston, S. C., where it is seen in great numbers in the markets. The red-bellied ter- rapin, or potter (ptychemys riigosa, Ag. ; E. rubriventris, Le Conte), is 11 in. long, 7 in. wide, and about 5 in. high ; the shell is entire in front, widest and notched behind; upper jaw deeply notched, and the lower serrated with three teeth in front ; shell, head, neck, and limbs dusky brown, with blotches, spots, and lines of red ; sternum dusky red. It lives in running waters, preferring rocky bottom; it is found between the Delaware river and Chesapeake bay, and is abundant about Tren- ton, N. J. ; its flesh is less esteemed than that of the preceding and following species. The Florida terrapin (P. concinna, Ag. ; E. Flori- dana, Harlan) is the largest of the species, being 15 in. long, 10 in. wide, and 7i in. high; the shell is entire, compressed on the sides ; Bed-bellied Terrapin (Ptychemys rugosa). the jaws without teeth, the lower somewhat serrated ; the shell, neck, head, and limbs brownish, with numerous yellow lines and bands; sternum pale yellow, the marginal plates with a black spot having a yellow cen- tre; throat ashy, striped with yellow. It is extensively distributed through the southern states, in lakes and rivers, from North Caro- lina as far as western Louisiana, and up the Mississippi valley to Arkansas ; it is very com- mon in E. Florida, especially in the St. John's river ; its flesh is delicious. The chicken terra- pin (deirochelys reticulata, Ag. ; E. reticulata, Schweig.) is 9} in. long and &j in. wide ; the shell is oval, entire, longitudinally rough; upper jaw slightly notched, lower entire with a hook in front ; neck very long ; above, head, neck, and limbs dark brown, with numerous yellow lines communicating so as to form a network, whence the specific name ; lower parts yellow, with black spots on some of the marginal plates. Its habits are the same as in the other species, the long neck giving it