OF SELBORNE. 91 



in the decline of the year, he improves the 

 faint autumnal beams, by getting within 

 the reflection of a fruit-wall : and, though 

 he never has read that planes inclining to 

 the horizon receive a greater share of 

 warmth,* he inclines his shell, by tilting it 

 against the wall, to collect and admit every 

 feeble ray. 



Pitiable seems the condition of this poor 

 embarrassed reptile : to be cased in a suit 

 of ponderous armour, which he cannot lay 

 aside ; to be imprisoned, as it were, within 

 his own shell, must preclude, we should 

 suppose, all activity and disposition foren- 

 terprize. Yet there is a season of the year 

 (usually the beginning of June) when his 

 exertions are remarkable. He then walks 

 on tiptoe, and is stirring by five in the 

 morning; and, traversing the garden, ex- 



* Several years ago a book was written entitled 

 * Fruit-walls improved by inclining them to the ho- 

 " rizon :" in which the author has shown, by calcu- 

 lation, that a much greater number of the rays of the 

 sun will fall on such walls than on those which are 

 perpendicular. 



