368 



UNITED STATES 



this time, while they lay before Dr. M. on a plate, 

 nothing of the kind appeared more beautiful or 

 distinct, than the branches of blood vessels shooting 

 through, and running over the transparent mem- 

 brane of the egg; the blood evidently appearing to 

 acquire a brighter scarlet colour, whilst the fish was 

 thus exposed to the air, than it had possessed during 

 the immersion of the young animal in the fluid of the 

 uterus. It seems to have acquired more rapidly, 

 and to a greater quantity than before eJiclusion from 

 its maternal membrane, the oxygen of the air to 

 which it was exposed ; the union of which with the 

 blood seemed to have brightened its colour, and im- 

 parted to it, at the same time, so much of a stimulant 

 quality, as to have shortened the duration of its life 

 by excessive excitement. Thus the shark forms 

 the connecting link between the oviparous and vivi- 

 parous animals. 



Testudo iiolyphemus.,,»'Vh.Q. great land tortoise 

 called gopher abounds in the state of Georgia, on 

 the high dry sand hills. When arrived to their 

 greatest magnitude, the upper shell is near eighteen 

 inches in length, and ten or twelve inches in breadth; 

 the back is very high, and the shell of a very hard 

 bony substance, consisting of many regular compart- 

 ments united by sutures, in the manner of the other 

 species of tortoises, and covered with thin horny 

 plates. The nether, or belly shell is large, and re- 

 gularly divided transversely, into five parts : these 

 compartments are not knit together like the sutures 

 of the skull, or the back shell of the tortoise, but 

 adhere, or are connected together by a very ridg}^ 

 horny cartilage^ yfhich serves as hinges for him to 



