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placed in such a manner, that it's tail is turned 

 to the river, it takes without hesitation the 

 shortest way to the water. I confess, that this 

 experiment, of which Father Gumilla speaks, 

 does not always succeed equally well: yet in 

 general it appears, that at great distances from 

 the shore, and even in an island, these little 

 animals feel with extreme delicacy on what side 

 the most humid air blows. 



Reflecting on this almost continued layer of 

 eggs, that extends along the beach, and on the 

 thousands of little turtles, that seek the water as 

 soon as they are hatched, it is difficult to admit, 

 that so many turtles, which have made their 

 nests in the same spot, can distinguish their own 

 young, and lead them like the crocodiles to the 

 pools in the vicinity of the Oroonoko. It is 

 certain, however, that the animal passes the first 

 years of it's life in the pools where the water is 

 less deep, and does not return to the bed of the 

 great river, till it is full grown. How then do 

 the tortugillos find these pools ? Are they led 

 thither by female turtles, which adopt the young 

 as by chance ? The crocodiles, less numerous, 

 deposite their eggs in separate holes j and we 

 shall soon find, that, in this family of sauriens, 

 the female returns about the time when the in- 

 cubation is terminated ; calls her young, which 

 answer to her voice ; and often assists them to 

 get out of the ground. The arrau tortoise no 



