AFRICAN TORTOISE. 
under lid serving to cover and preserve that 
organ; and, instead of teeth, it has only two 
bony ridges hard and serrated, which serve to 
gather and grind it's food. Such is the 
amazing strength of the jaw^s, that it is im- 
possible to open them when they have once 
fastened: even though the head be cut off, 
they still keep their hold; and the muscles, 
in death itself, preserve a tenacious rigidity. 
This animal, therefore, though of a peace- 
able nature, and subsisting almost wholly on 
vegetables, is by no means ill equipped for war ; 
more especially as it seems endued almost with 
immortality. Goldsmith says, *' nothing can 
kill it;" but he was a poet, and must not be 
understood literally. He adds, *' the depriving 
it of one of it's members is but a slight injury: 
it will live, though deprived of the brain; it 
will live, though deprived of it's head.'* 
Rhedi, in pradlising some experiments on 
vital motion, made a large opening in the 
skull of a Tortoise, washed the cavity so as 
not to leave the miuutest part remaining, and 
then set ilic animal at liberty, which walked 
away 
