STORY OF THE TORTOISE. 
The turtle which inhabits the streams in almost every part of the United 
States has a counterpart in the tortoise, a creature of such dimensions as to 
seem almost incredible. I have aided in catching these sea-monsters, some 
over seven feet long and weighing from 800 to 900 pounds. These speci¬ 
mens were probably over 100 years old, for the tortoise does not attain its 
full growth until near the end of its natural life. Information which I believe 
authentic leads me to estimate the possible age to* which the tortoise attains 
as not less than 200 years. 
At the fore and hinder extremities of the shell of all tortoises are left 
large apertures, through which are protruded the head and neck, the fore 
and hind-limbs, and the tail. A large number of tortoises are able to retract 
both the head, limbs, and tail within the margins of the shell, the apertures 
of which are then filled up; such portions of the head and limbs as are 
exposed being protected by horny shields. 
With the exception of the marine leathery turtles and the frgsh-water 
soft-tortoises, in which it is invested merely with a continuous leathery skin, 
the shell of the various spaces is covered with a number of horny plates, 
which, in the adult state at least, are in contact with one another by their 
edges. 
The species that generally forms the celebrated New York dishes is 
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