THE MUSEUM. 



'55 



The Box Turtles were nearly all the 

 same si^e, about seven inches long, 

 but the difference in marking was very 

 decided, not only as to color but also 

 as to the distribution of the bands and 

 blotches. The color varied from a 

 very bright to a pale yellow. In one 

 turtle the head and neck was almost 

 completely covered with markings, 

 while another possessed scarcely any 

 at all in this location. 



From time to time, I had thrown a 

 little grass into the pen until a small 

 heap had accumulated, under which 

 the Box Turtles seemed to like to bur- 

 row. Except when thirsty they seem- 

 ed to dislike the water, and I have 

 never seen them enter it. Once when 

 camping on a small island in a large 

 fresh water pond, a Box Turtle which 

 I had secured to a tree with a long 

 cord, made wild endeavors to get into 

 the water. 



At first, when approached, their 

 •heads would disappear with a hiss and 

 the curiously hinged plastron would 

 then close up, concealing all unpro- 

 tected parts from harm. Bt as they 

 grew more used to the confinement 

 and civilization, their sociable nature 

 began to evince itself and they often 

 take their food from my hand. 



Worms and meat have been their 

 principal diet while under my care. 

 When rather large worms are given, 

 :the Cistudos usually sieze them near 

 the middle of the body, give them a 

 sharp nip and then drop them. This 

 is repeated several times until the 

 worm ceases his struggles somewhat. 

 Then, starting at one end, they com- 

 mence to swallow and the worm dis- 

 appears by sections. Cooked meat 

 seems to be rather disliked, and unless 

 ■ quite hungry they refuse to touch it. 

 But rare meat they eat with avidity. 

 .It seems that they are vegetarians also, 

 as it is stated in "Johnson's Natural 

 .History," that they live on "fruits, in- 

 sects, edible mushrooms, etc." I have 

 made no experiments with a fruit diet 

 •as yet. 



Both in shape and manner of eat- 



ing the Box Turtle greatly resembles 

 the huge Tortoise of the Galapagos 

 Islands, which the writer had tine op- 

 portunities to study, in their native 

 haunts last year. This Tortoise, how- 

 ever is a strict vegetarian. 



Today. August 3d, two things have 

 happened one of which causes me 

 pleasure, the other sorrow. Firstly, 

 one of my Box Turtles laid three eggs. 

 These eggs are much elongated in 

 shape, measuring one and a half inch- 

 es in length. The shell is like heavy 

 parchment and white in color with 

 rather an opalesent tinge. I thought, 

 when first laid. I found them on the 

 top of the ground. None of the eggs 

 laid in captivity ever hatched. A note 

 dated .April 3d in my Journal of 1895 

 mentions preparing a "Box Turtle, fe- 

 male, containing several eggs ready to 

 be laid. Specimen had been dead 

 several days." The great difference 

 between these two breeding dates 

 caused me to insert this note. 



I shall be pleased to hear from any 

 reader of the Museum in regard to the 

 breeding habits of our land and fresh 

 water Turtles. 



The cause of my sorrow was the es- 

 cape of my Chelydra, and I fear that 

 this time he has gone for good. On 

 two previous occasions he has man- 

 aged to get out of the pen but has 

 been recaptured. This time, however 

 a careful search has met with no suc- 

 cess. No, I spoke too quickly, he has 

 returned. Just after penning the 

 above lines, the door bell rang and a 

 neighbor (how nice it is to have a rep- 

 utation as a cranky returned my Tur- 

 tle which he had found wandering up 

 the street and collected, thinking that 

 probably it was one of my pets. 



The long tail and large head of this 

 reptile gave him rather an ancient ap- 

 pearance. He is fully ugly enough to 

 take his place among those curious 

 reptiles of previous ages. My speci- 

 men, as is usually the case, is partially 

 covered on the back with moss, and 

 at the titne of his arrival had several 

 leeches clinging to the under side of 



