ancient

This order, like that of the saurians, is of very date, and is to be found connected with the secondary series of geological formation, and existing along with the saurians, in every successive period of deposit down to the present day. The habits and functions of these early animals appear to have been similar to those of the existing species; and they are found in localities which prove, that, like them, different kinds lived respectively in the sea, in rivers, and on dry land. In general, these fossil species have been of larger dimensions than those which exist at present; and Cuvier mentions a sea-turtle, found at Luneville, the shell of which was eight feet long.* The impressions of footsteps made on the sandstone of Corncockle Muir, which Dr Buckland has discovered to be those of a land-tortoise, are a proof of the existence of a species at that period, exceeding in size that of the corresponding species of the present day.†

* Oss. Foss. vol. v. part 2, p. 525.

+ In the observations on geology contained in the "Winter" volume, I quoted some observations of Dr Buckland on the footmarks of the land-tortoise in the quarry of Corncockle Muir. I may take this opportunity of adding, that the footmarks are not entirely confined to that locality, having been found in various other quarries in that neighbourhood, and in the quarry of Craigs, in the immediate neighbourhood of Dumfries. In regard to the latter fact, the following notices may interest the geologist:-The Craigs Quarry, where these additional footmarks occur, is situated about two miles to the east of Dumfries, and is at the distance of between nine and ten miles south from the quarry of Corncockle Muir, from which it is separated by a chain of hills of transition rock, running from east to west, and dividing the basin of the Annan from the valley of the Nith. The sandstone on which the footmarks are found dips, like almost all the sandstone in the neighbourhood, and especially like that of Corncockle Muir, in a westerly, or rather a south-westerly direction. A foot-track is now said to be in the quarry, but hid by rubbish, lying about sixty or seventy feet below the surface of the rock. The difference between the locality in which the present footmarks are situated, and those of Corncockle Muir, may be thus shortly stated. In the latter, the quarry is situated at the top of a moderately elevated round-backed hill; in the former, it lies at the bottom of a ridge of the height of several hundred feet. In both, the impressions occur in flagstone, incumbent on which lie thick seams of solid rock; but in the Craigs Quarry there is this remarkable peculiarity, that while all the rest of the sandstone dips in the direction already mentioned, about an angle of 45 degrees, there is a stratum, or rather, I believe, a series of strata, of from fifteen to twenty feet in thickness, much coarser, and more friable, which is superinduced over the whole, lying nearly horizontal, and whose seams have no relation to those beneath, indicating a later and entirely in

There are some differences between the sea and landtortoises, which distinctly mark intelligence in suiting each to its own destined locality, which I do not stop to particularize. With respect to their mode of living, Goldsmith thus discriminates them:-"The land-tortoise lives in holes dug in the mountains, or near marshy lakes; the sea-turtle in cavities of rocks, and extensive pastures at the bottom of the sea. The tortoise makes use of its feet to walk with and burrow in the ground; the turtle chiefly uses its feet in swimming, or creeping at the bottom."

The tortoise is a harmless animal if left undisturbed. Secure in the pent-house of its shell, it can bid defiance to the attacks of other animals; and, living wholly on vegetable food, it has no predacious habits to render it ferocious. It, therefore, never seeks the encounter; but its repose cannot be invaded with impunity. It is furnished with such a strength of jaw, that, though its mouth be destitute of teeth, and armed only with bony plates, wherever it fastens it infallibly keeps its hold, until it has taken out the piece. Even when the head is cut off, the jaws do not relax; and the muscles in death preserve a tenacious rigidity.

The following account is given by Goldsmith of the astonishing vitality of this singular animal :-" Nothing can kill it; the depriving it of one of its members is but a slight injury; it will live though deprived of the brain; it will live though deprived of its head! Redi informs us, that, in making some experiments on vital motion, he, in the beginning of the month of November, took a land-tortoise, made a large opening in its skull, and drew out all the brain, washed the cavity, so as not to leave the smallest part remaining, and then, leaving the hole open, set the animal at liberty. Notwithstanding this, the tortoise walked away without seeming to have received the smallest injury; only it shut the eyes,

dependent deposit. What strata lie immediately above these horizontal layers I do not know, but towards the top of the ridge there are extensive rocks, if not continuous strata of coarse sandstone conglomerate.

and never opened them afterward. Soon after the hole in the skull was seen to close; and in three days there was a complete skin covering the wound. In this manner, the animal lived without a brain for six months, walking about unconcernedly, and using its limbs as before. But the Italian philosopher, not satisfied with this experiment, carried it still further; for he cut off the head, and the tortoise lived for twenty-three days after its separation from the body. The head also continued to rattle the jaws, like a pair of castonets, for above a quarter of an hour."

The vital energy of these creatures is not less remarkably displayed in their longevity, than in their surviving injuries, which would destroy any other vertebrated animal. Tortoises are well known to live more than eighty years; and Mr Murray, in his "Experimental Researches," records the following instances of protracted life :—In the library of Lambeth Palace is the shell of a land-tortoise, brought there about the year 1623, which lived to 1730, a period of 107 years. Another was placed in the Episcopal Garden of Fulham by Bishop Laud in 1625, which died in 1753, having survived 125 Another is mentioned as having lived 220 years; years. and one in Exeter Change 800 years! The latter account, however, is very problematical.

It is worthy of remark, that all the orders of inferior vertebrated animals we have noticed, namely, those of the serpent, the saurian reptiles, and the tortoise, have a peculiar and analogous arrangement as to the circulation of their blood. Their blood does not, as anatomists express it, go through the great circulation. The creature has lungs, but the blood, instead of passing through them, as is the case with most warm-blooded animals, goes directly to the arteries, which send it through the frame. Hence it is able to live a considerable time without the necessity of breathing, though it would at last be stifled if put into a close vessel.

We have often, in the course of our investigations, had

occasion to admire the varieties in the orders of organized existences, and the adaptations to peculiarities of habits and of locality, which they exhibit. Need I remind the reader of the new instances which the various reptile races exhibit of the same remarkable qualities; or is it necessary for me to draw the inferences as to the Divine perfections, and the inexhaustible resources of Creative skill which they display?

THE serpent, whose peculiarities of structure and habit we have, in the course of last week, considered, was employed, soon after the creation of man, as a party in that awful transaction, by which “sin entered into the world, and death by sin."

From the intimations given in different parts of the Sacred Volume, we discover that there are various races of intelligent beings, not merely existing in the universe, but in some way, not very clearly explained, connected with our own earth, and interested in human affairs. This is only what might have been suggested as probable by a sound philosophy, independent of revelation. Up to man we behold one unbroken chain of existence, rising from the lowest state of organic life to the highest, by links beautiful in their combinations, and wonderful in their variety and extent. But at man, this astonishing fabric seems suddenly to stop short. The whole of these links appear to end in him; or, at all events, the continuation of the chain is no longer the object of our senses. When we consider the nature of man, it seems to be incredible that he should be the chief work of the Eternal; that a being so imperfect, so inconsistent, and so depraved, should crown the admirable structure of creation; that life should exist in such profusion, and in such amazing diversity of forms and powers beneath him, and that the glorious plan, commenced on so magnificent a scale, should have been suddenly broken off, just as the threshold of reason had begun to be entered. There is undoubtedly an infinite space between man and his Creator, in which intelligent beings might exist; and the amazing scheme might be carried upward in varieties which could never be exhausted, and in a progression

VOL. III.

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