XX INTRODUCTION. 



Tortoise, which will bear a greater degree of cold than that 

 of most of our winters, without perishing ; and it is cer- 

 tainly desirable that a wholesome and agreeable food, like 

 that afforded by some of these, should not be lost to us, 

 if the species can be easily perpetuated and multiplied in 

 our climate. 



Of the third order of Rej:>tiles, to which the term Lori- 

 cata has been given, on account of the peculiar coat of hard 

 mail with which all the species are covered, we have 

 happily no indigenous example, nor would any of them 

 bear the cold of our climate. The Crocodiles and Alliga- 

 tors of both worlds, and the Gavials of India, constitute 

 this order. They are distinguished from the true Saurians, 

 or Lizard tribe, by several important characters. Of these, 

 the most tangible and obvious is that upon which the name 

 of the order is founded ; the covering of the whole of the 

 back part of the neck, body, and tail, with distinct series 

 of bones, of moderate size, embedded, as it were, in the 

 substance of the skin, and covered externally with a thick 

 cuticle. These dermal bones are usually furnished with a 

 crest, which renders them exceedingly strong, and they 

 altogether form a panoply of defence which can resist the 

 attacks of the most powerful enemies of whatever kind. 

 These animals are carnivorous, taking their prey generally 

 in the water, but retiring to the shore to devour it, which 

 they often defer until it has become half putrid. For the 

 reasons given above, I do not think it necessary to enter 

 into particulars respecting the structure and history of 

 these animals. They can never become of local interest 

 to us, as they are not made subservient to any purpose of 

 utility to man, nor can they be naturalized in our latitude. 



The true Saurians are characterized by the existence of 

 both anterior and posterior extremities, and of a moderate 



