1398 -THE STORY OF THE UNIVERSE 



The articulation of the head with the neck is effected 

 in the same manner; but it is interesting to remark 

 that the occipital condyle, which is situated at the 

 lower margin of the great aperture, though pre- 

 senting a single convex surface, yet has that surface 

 evidently divided into three parts; the two upper 

 portions being lateral and the lower portion in the 

 middle. 



The singular conformation of the bones of the 

 head, in the turtle, affords fresh evidence in support 

 of the theory that these bones were originally verte- 

 brae. The brain of the tortoise is exceedingly small; 

 and yet the skull, when viewed from above, presents 

 an appearance of great breadth, as if it inclosed a 

 cavity of large dimensions. This great breadth of 

 the head in the turtle gives the animal an aspect of 

 superior intelligence, to which character, from the 

 really diminutive size of its brain, it is in no re- 

 spect entitled. As the turtle is unable to withdraw 

 its head within the carapace, such extraordinary pro- 

 tection appears to have been necessary: for it is not 

 met with in the tortoise, which has a carapace suf- 

 ficiently capacious to give shelter to the head when- 

 ever occasion may require. 



All the feet are joined obliquely to the limbs which 

 support them, giving the animal an apparent awk- 

 wardness of gait, as if it were obliged to walk upon 

 club feet. The impulse which they give being 

 lateral and oblique, renders them more efficacious 

 for progression in the water than on land: this cir- 

 cumstance, in conjunction with the constitutional 

 torpor of the animal, sufficiently accounts for the 



