148 ■'Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology. 



and wandered about for fully an hour trying different places. 

 Finally she selected for nesting a decayed stump that had rotted 

 down level with the ground. She dug with fore-feet and hind-feet a 

 shallow hole about two inches wide and of about the same depth, 

 and deposited two eggs therein. After covering these eggs with 

 the excavated debris, she went her way. The form and work- 

 manship of this little nest were of an inferior order as compared 

 with those of other species of tortoises I have observed. 



Specimens were captured on land with eggs in the oviducts, 

 ready to be laid, on the following dates: June 11, 16, 20, 22, 

 23 and 25. In no case did I find more than three eggs in the ovi- 

 ducts. These were elliptical in form and nearly as large as the 

 eggs of Chrysemys. The shell is hard and of a china-like con- 

 sistency, brittle but capable of withstanding considerable pressure. 



Agassiz states positively that tortoises do not mate in con- 

 finement, but this phenomenon is not uncommon in the case of 

 Aromochelys. They mate even when large numbers are crowded 

 together in limited space and when people are moving about in 

 plain view. I have been able to observe the process of mating in 

 no other species.^ 



Confinement seems to have little inhibiting effect on the normal 

 activities of Aromochelys. They feed and mate quite normally. 

 But when captured with eggs in the oviducts they do not make 

 nests, being satisfied to drop the eggs at random. 



When kept in aquaria they frequently stand for long periods 

 on the hind legs, protruding the snout above the surface of the 

 water. In no case have I observed them leaving the water in 

 order to bask on the bricks and boards provided for this purpose. 

 They soon learn to swim toward the person who feeds them and 

 will take food from the fingers. 



The young do not differ materially from the adults in general 

 behavior, except that they are often seen basking on shore during 

 the first two or three seasons. They assume the same threatening 

 attitude, when captured, as do the adults, their mock fierceness 

 giving them a decidedly ludicrous appearance. 



Summary. — Aromochelys possesses a shy and retiring dispo- 

 sition, living during a large part of its life on the dark weedy lake 

 bottom, rather than in the warmer and shallower waters. These 



'Professor Jacob Reighard informs me that he has seen Chelydra mating in a small box. 



