Newman, Habits of Tortoises. 137 



their particular food, which is far from abundant in the muddy 

 waters of the lagoons. From the middle to the end of May the 

 lagoons are almost free of Graptemys, large specimens being 

 especially scarce there. 



Nesting takes place throughout almost the entire month of 

 June, but it is at its height from the sixth to the tw^entieth of that 

 month. 



After the nesting season they resume their regular vegetative 

 activities, swimming, feeding and basking. Even as late as the 

 last week in November I have seen them swimming about near 

 the surface and occasionally resting on shore. Frequently young 

 specimens, while basking on shore at this season of the year, 

 become benumbed with the cold and, in consequence of their 

 inability to return to the water, are left stranded on the shores 

 after the ice has formed. One can easily pick up dozens that have 

 met such a fate. 



Graptemys displays a decided reluctance to retire into the mud 

 for the winter. It is a familiar sight to observe individuals swim- 

 ming about or resting openly on the bottom even after the lake has 

 frozen over for the first time. On one occasion, after a sudden 

 severe frost, a large pile of Graptemys of all sizes was observed on 

 the lake bottom in about six feet of water. They lay perfectly dor- 

 mant, showing no signs of life. It occurred to me that they had 

 huddled up in that fashion for warmth, instead of burying them- 

 selves in the mud; or had been taken unawares by the sudden- 

 ness of the cold spell and were too benumbed with cold to dig their 

 way into the sand of the lake bottom. Very large numbers of 

 Graptemys winter in the soft mud of the lagoons, which afford 

 ideal conditions for them. 



Resting and Basking. — These tortoises are in evidence during 

 the summer months to a greater extent than other native species. 

 Basking seems to be their principal occupation. On warm days 

 they literally line the shores of the lake at certain favorable places. 

 Scarcely a floating board or pier lacks its quota of occupants. 

 In some places where the trees overhang the water or have fallen 

 in from lack of support, the smaller specimens of Graptemys 

 mount among the branches to heights of six or seven feet. 



When basking they are decidedly gregarious, collecting in such 

 numbers on certain sheltered ledges that it becomes necessary for 

 them to pile up two or even three layers deep, the smaller ones 



