( '70 ) 
I. An Anatomical Defer ipt ion of the Heart of Land 
Tortoifes from America. By Mr. Paul Buffierc, 
Surgeon, F. 5. 
I N the Defcription that I give of the Heart of thefe 
Animals, I have in no wife any defign to criticifc 
upon what Mr. Mery hath publifhed in the Memoirs of 
the Royal Academy of Sciences, Anno 1705. but leave 
it to the Determination of the Publick. I never was a 
friend to Deputation, it contributing oftentimes more | 
to intangle the Subje&s that are treated, than to ex- 
plain the Veracity of tkeFatts that are fearched after 5 
and f had entirely abandoned this, which hath been 
feme Years between Mr. Mery 2nd myfeif, concerning the 
life of the Valves, which cover the Foramen Quale in 
the Heart of an Human Fanus, if Mr. Mery had not pre- ' 
tended to maintain his Opinion by the comparifon of 
the pretended Valves, which he imagines to be in the 
Heart of the Land Tortoifes of America,, ('apparently ! 
that he hath invented them himfelf) in the pretended 
Ventricles of the Heart of that Animal $ and if at the 
fame time three Commiflaries of Reputation deputed. by 
that Academy, had not given an Authentick Approba- j 
tion to what is advanced by that An a Comiff. This 
fort of Authority might impofe on the Publick, the 
greateft part whereof believe every thing upon fuch 
teftimony, and the others remain in fufpenfe for want 
of the necefiary means to inform themfelves of the 
truth ^ the Land Tortoifes of America being very rare 
in Europe, and the greateft part of Anatomifts want- 
ing either the Means or Couvenieneies to get them. I 
have 
