Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-03-03

BY AGRICOLA.
ABOUT ALTERNATING ANIMALS.


The tortoise is classed among hibernat-
ing animals. The name means crooked
feet. Sometimes this name is restricted
to the land species, and the name turtle is
given to the marine kind. This reptile
has his bones all on the outside! The ami,
malone mass of "flesh and blood lis
enclosed in Il case composed of two scaly
shields, the upper and the lower. With
few exceptions all these species are car
nivOrous. The circulation of their blood
is slow, and it is cold. being but little over
the temperature of the surrounding medi.
UNI. The aggregate of their muscular
energy is less than in the mammalia; their
habits are sluggish and when they move
they crawl or swim, and in cold and tenn
perate climates they sleep during nearly
the whole winter. A wonderful tenacity
of life is another popularity of the repti-
liza. Remove their brains and they iog in
the same sluggish manner. Cut off their
heads and they continue their Journey.
Tear out their hearts and they continue TO
pulsate, for several hours after the scpara-
ton, and their bodies continue to move IL
still longer time. These animals are ovip-
arous and their eggs are covered with u
hard shell.
There are five families belonging TO this
race of reptiles. | shall not give here the
technical names, nor attempt accurately to
dlaw the lines of distinction between
them. Some characteristics of the land
tortoise have already been given. There
are two other general classes called the
marsh tortoise and the river tortoise.
None are entirely aquatic; none can swim
fur unsupported, but when in the water
they generally remain at the bottom. The
aquatic species are more properly called
turtles, but they do not rank so high in the
order US the tortoises. Those that are
prc-eminently aquatic have limbs convert
ed into Unlike organs. Their bony COW
ering is too small to hold their head and
limbs, hence these are always more or
less protected. They live in the sea and
are good swimmers. They come to the
shore TO deposit their eggs, and seldom for
any other purpose. They live upon sea
weeds and Il few eat small marine animals.
The former are reported as delicious food,
while the latter are disagreeable and I'M
wholesome, and are collected only for the
oil they furnish. The green turtle lives in
the seas of warm climates; sometimes.
| however, it is found as far northas the
coast of Great Britain in Europe. and the
Long Island in America. In tropical re.
gions it grows to the length of five or six
feet, and weighs five or six hundred
pounds. Both the meat and the eoos OF
this animal are considered very delicate
food In the island of Ascension they arc
found in greater numbers than in any
other part of the world. They can be
captured only in one way. When they
come ashore to lay their eggs they are
overtaken and turned over on their backs.
in which condition they are helpless and
can be disposed of at pleasure. The
hawks-biIl turtle is covered with thirteen
scales upon the upper part of the shell.
laying upon each other like the tiles of the
house, overlapping about one-third Of the
whole surface. These scales are very
valuable in the arts and are sold at II good
price. This species are found in tropical
seas, and sometimes in the Mediterranean
and the Gulf of Mexico. The logger
head turtle, as it is called, is the largest of
the kind, weighing some eleven hundred
pounds. Many, however, do not weigh
more than half as much. The shells of
these are often used by the people for bath
tubs, drinking troughs, and also covering
for huts. The leathery turtle has no horny
plates upon its shell, but is covered with a
leather skin instead. 1t is sometimes
eight feet long and weighs thousand
pounds. 1t breeds on the Tortugas and
Bahamas, and is sometime seen on the
coast of England and France. and in New
York and Massachusetts. The soft tor
toises live in the rivers of the warmer
parts of Asia and Africa, and species are
found in North American waters. They
are more active than some other kinds.
and live upon fish, and sometimes take
birds and small reptiles for a change. We
have in this country several species of