13 
LECTURE VII. 
cart, yet does it discover as much solicitude about 
rain as a lady dressed in all her best attire, 
shuffling away on the first sprhiklings, and running 
its head up in a corner. If attended to, it be- 
comes an excellent weather-glass, for as sure as 
it walks elate, and, as it were on tip-toe, feeding 
with great earnestness, in a morning, so sure will 
it rain before night. It is totally a diurnal ani- 
mal, and never pretends to stir after it becomes 
dark.” 
“ The Tortoise,” adds Mr. W. “ like other 
reptiles, has an arbitrary stomach, as well as 
lungs, and can refrain from eating, as well as 
breathing, for a great part of the year. I was 
much taken with its sagacity, in discerning those 
that do it kind offices for as soon as the good 
old lady comes in sight who has waited on it 
for more than thirty years, it hobbles towards 
its benefactress with awkward alacrity ; but re- 
mains inattentive to strangers. Thus, not only 
the O.V knoxveth his owner, and the Ass his 
master's crih^' but the most abject and torpid of 
beings distinguishes the hand that feeds it, and 
is touched with the feelings 6f gratitude. This 
creature not only goes under the earth from the 
middle of November to the middle of April, but 
