NOTES ON THE METHOD ADOPTED BY THE FEMALE 

 OF THE COMMON FRESHWATER TORTOISE CHELO- 

 DINA LONGICOLLIS, IN THE EXCAVATION OF 

 THE BURROWS IN WHICH HER EGGS ARE TO 

 BE DEPOSITED. 



By H. J. McCooEY, Blayney. 



1. Chelodina longicollis.- This strange-looking Freshwater Tor- 

 toise ^vhich has been compared to a snake threaded through a 

 turtle, is at the present time, midsummer, engaged in the processes 

 of nidification and deposition of her eggs ; and I have taken the 

 opportunity of watching the proceedings with j)articular attention 

 during the last fortnight, in the neighbourhood of Blayney, with 

 the following results, viz. : — 



(1st). The tortoises come out of the Balabula River and travel 

 into the cultivation paddocks, a distance, in some instances, of 

 fifteen chains to deposit their eggs. (2nd). They carry luith them 

 a sujyply of loater which they vomit into the holes to soften the 

 earth while they dig. They begin operations early in the morning 

 by scratching a small hole about an inch deep, always using their 

 hind claws. Into the depression thus made they vomit or squirt 

 a quantity of water, and immediately resume the scratching 

 process. Having cleared out the mud foi'med by the water, and 

 being again on the dry surface, they again vomit water into the 

 hole and again scratch out the mud. They continue in this 

 manner until the hole has been sunk to the required depth, viz., 

 about seven inches. The quantity of water they use in the 

 operation of sinking or burrowing out one of these holes is quite 

 surprising. As far as I can make out fully a pint is used. If 

 the ground be extra dry and hard, and their supply of water run 



