THE TURTLES OF SAND-KEY ISLA1>^D. 191 



easily understand that I quitted Woodcock House 

 •with regret, and that I am always delighted at 

 receiving a letter from my friend, in memory of 

 past times. 



XII.— THE TURTLES OF SAND-KEY 

 ISLAND. 



I HAVE often been puzzled to understand how it 

 is that the French cuisine has so entirely neglected 

 the turtle,* and has only succeeded in using it for 



* Naturalists class the turtle among the reptiles, a numerous order 

 of vertebrated animals. LinncBus created the genus Testudo, and Bro- 

 gniart the family Chelonia, which he divided into eighty different species 

 and five sub-classes, viz.: the Testudlnidce, or tortoises; the Emy did ce 

 and Clichjdidce, or fresh-water turtles ; the Trionycidce, and the 

 Chelonidw. The general characteristics of these different classes consist 

 of the bony or horny shield, which takes the place of the skin-covering of 

 other animals, over the greater part of their bodies. Turtles are fur- 

 nished with skin only at the junction of the four limbs, and of the head, 

 which is covered with plates as with the lizards and serpents. This 

 shield, which joins the spinal process on its inner side, is divided into 

 two parts, the upper portion being called the carapace, and the lower 

 the plastron. The head of the turtle is of a pyramidal or triangular 

 form. It has small eyes, covered with three eyelids. Its neck is 

 capable of great elongation, and the toes of its fins are terminated by 

 nails. It has a vigorous stomach, and easily digests the mollusks upon 

 which it feeds. Its jaws are of great force. Its tardiness of locomotion 

 is proverbial, and its stupidity is not less remarkable ; yet it is easily 

 trained. The tortoises of Europe belong to the hybernating class of 

 animals, and^^sleep during the cold season. Feeding, reproduction, con- 

 cealment, and sleep — such is the existence of the tribe. Nevertheless, 



