334 T/^e Wisdom of GOD Part II. 



when they are upon their Backs 5 and their Indujiry 

 upon this Account is very admirable. We have ob- 

 jervd in a living Tortoife, that being turned upon 

 its Backy and not being able to make tije of its Paws 

 for the returning of itfelfy becaufe they could but 

 only bend towards the Belly, it could help itfelf only 

 by its Neck and Head^ which it turn d Jbmetimes 

 en one fide, fometimes on the other, by pufhing a- 

 gainfi the Ground, to rock itfelf as in a Cradle, to 

 find out the fide towards which the Inequality of the 

 Ground might more eafily permit it to rowl its 

 Shell ', for when it had found it, it made all its En- 

 deavours on that fide. 



The fecond is in the Sea tortoife, as follows. 

 Arifiotle and Tliny have remarked, that when 

 T'ortoifes have been a long time upon the Water 

 during a Calm, it happens that their Shell being 

 dry'd in the Sun, they are eafily taken by the 

 Fifhermen, by reafon they cannot plunge into 

 the Water nimbly enough, being become too 

 light ', this fhews what Equality there ought to 

 be in their /Equilibrium, feeing fo little a Change 

 as this, which may happen by the fole drying of 

 the Shell, is capable of making it ufelefs. This 

 Eafinefs to be taken at fuch a time, thefe Aca- 

 demifis do not refer merely to the Lightnefs of 

 this Creature's Body (for he could eafily let Air 

 enough out of his Lungs to render it heavier than 

 the Water, and fo enable himfelf to, fink) but to 

 a wonderful Sagacity and Caution of this Animal ; 

 for (fay they) it is probable that the Tortoife, 



which 



