TORTOISE OIL 343 



Similar disgusting scenes occur on the banks of the Orinoco, 

 where annually about 5,000 jars are collected. The number of 

 eggs required for the production of the oil is estimated at about 

 33,000,000 ; the produce of at least 300,000 of the reptiles. 



The marsh-tortoises may be said to form the connecting link 

 between the eminently aquatic marine, and river chelonians and 

 the land-tortoises, as the formation of their feet, armed with 

 sharp claws or crooked nails, and furnished with a kind of 

 flexible web, connecting their distinct and movable toes, allows 

 them both to advance much quicker on the dry land than the 

 latter, and to swim rapidly either on the surface or in the depth 

 of the waters. 



According to the more or less terrestrial habits of the various 

 species, the feet are more or less webbed, for in those that 

 habitually remain on the banks of the lagoons, the connecting 

 membrane is confined to the basis of the toes, while in others, 

 that but rarely come on shore, it sometimes reaches to the 

 extremity of the claws : another beautiful example of the fore- 

 sight of the Almighty in adapting organic structure to the 

 wants of His creatures. 



The marsh-tortoises, being endowed with more rapid power of 

 locomotion, are not vegetarians like the land-tortoises, but chiefly 

 live on moUusks, fishes, frogs, toads, and annelides. Although 

 the eggs are palatable, the flesh is generally too coarse even for 

 the craving appetite of an Indian. 



The river-tortoises differ in many respects from the sea-turtles, 

 although formed like them for a purely aquatic life. In both 

 families the extremities are complete fins, serving as oars, but 

 the fore feet of the river-tortoises are not double the length of 

 the hind feet, as we find in the marine chelonians ; and while the 

 latter have a short apoplectic neck, that of the river-tortoise 

 is generally very long and surmounted by a small and 

 narrow head. The river-tortoises are exclusively confined to the 

 warmer countries of the globe, and sometimes weigh as much as 

 seventy pounds. It seems that during the night, and when they 

 fancy themselves secure from danger, they repose upon the small 

 river islands, or on rocks and trunks of trees that have fallen on 

 the banks, or are drifted along by the current, and instantly 

 plunge again into the water at the sight of man or at the least 

 alarming noise. They are extremely voracious, and being very 



