10 TESTUDINATA. 



body along, but unable to restore the prone posi- 

 tion if tlie animal be laid on its back. The feet 

 seem like stumps abruptly cut off, armed around 

 the edge with a set of blunt nails, which serve as 

 a sort of grapplings to hold on the surface of the 

 ground and drag the body forwards. To an ani- 

 mal which feeds on herbs, the power of pursuit 

 is useless ; nor is it necessary that swiftness in 

 escape should be conferred on one which can 

 draw in its head and limbs on the approach of 

 danger, presenting only a solid case of mail, in 

 which it may defy every enemy but man. 



On the other hand, the marine species swim with 

 great rapidity, rushing along beneath the surface 

 like a bird on the wing. The feet take the form 

 of powerful fins, and the form of the body is 

 flattened, and thinned to an edge, both of these 

 provisions facilitating progression through a dense 

 medium. " But the well-developed flipper that 

 enables the Marine Tortoise to oar its way with 

 swiftness, is even a worse organ for land-progres- 

 sion than the clumsy foot of a Land Tortoise. 

 Not but that they will shuffle back to the sea, 

 which they have only occasion to leave in order 

 to deposit their eggs, at a good pace, and they 

 will deal heavy blows with their flippers to those 

 who attempt to stop them, (for they, as well as 

 the Land Tortoises, are very strong,) as those 

 who have been foiled in turning Turtles have 

 known to their cost."" 



The eggs are of an oval form, and are covered 

 with a white calcareous shell, much resembling 

 those of birds. Those of many of the species are 

 eaten by man. 



The food of the Testudinata is various : the 



