of the United States of America. 61 



do not hatch : this must be owing to the ants eating them. Though I have 

 kept tortoises for several years, I have never known more than two or three 

 instances of their breeding. There is -in my garden at present one tortoise, 

 which was hatched there three or four years ago : it is now not more than 

 half-grown. 



" Where the eggs laid in the deposit the cavity was roundish ; the upper 

 part of the hole was oblong. 



" On the evening of the 24th of June 1813, I saw one of my tortoises pre- 

 paring a deposit for her eggs ; and her mode of proceeding was similar to that 

 of the one above-mentioned. However, I did not see her lay owing to the 

 approach of darkness. The next morning I examined her nest, and perceived 

 in it three eggs. I marked the spot, and re-examined it in the autumn, but 

 found only the shells of the eggs ; and these shells had no foetal indications 

 about them. 



" The eggs in the box, mentioned above, shared the fate of the others ; they 

 were destroyed by the pismires. 



" Tuesday, June 26, 1832. Being a few days ago in the country, I procured 

 ten individuals of our land-tortoise, the greater part females. These were set 

 at large in our garden. This evening, after sunset, I observed three of them 

 in the act of digging holes wherein to deposit their eggs. The approach of 

 night prevented my seeing them lay. Two of them having been disturbed, 

 they abandoned the place. 



" June 27. One of the before-mentioned tortoises succeeded in depositing 

 her eggs, and carefully covered them up as usual. I have placed stakes 

 around the spot. The hole was dug entirely with the hind-feet, as in the 

 instance before related. 



"June 29. Yesterday evening, just before sunset, one of the tortoises which 

 had been disturbed when about to lay, dug out a fresh hole and deposited her 

 eggs. It would hence seem that these animals possess the power of retaining 

 their eggs, when circumstances occur to render it necessary. 



" July 2. This evening, at the usual hour, two of my tortoises laid. 



"July 3. Another tortoise deposited her eggs near the spot selected by one 

 of those of yesterday. Some of these tortoises, if not all of them, have laid 

 twice this season. 



