﻿BOX 
  TORTOISE. 
  

  

  417 
  

  

  TABLE 
  I. 
  

  

  Reactions 
  to 
  Spatial 
  Conditions 
  of 
  Tortoises 
  of 
  Different 
  Habits. 
  Summary 
  of 
  Results 
  

  

  "This 
  quantitative 
  expression 
  of 
  the 
  amount 
  of 
  hesitation 
  exhibited 
  by 
  different 
  species 
  

   of 
  tortoises 
  under 
  the 
  same 
  spatial 
  conditions 
  clearly 
  indicates 
  a 
  close 
  relation 
  between 
  the 
  

   demands 
  of 
  the 
  natiu-al 
  environment 
  of 
  the 
  species, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  spatial 
  relations 
  are 
  concerned, 
  

   and 
  the 
  behavior 
  of 
  the 
  animals. 
  A 
  land 
  tortoise 
  has 
  cause 
  to 
  notice 
  heights 
  and 
  to 
  react 
  to 
  

   them 
  in 
  a 
  manner 
  different 
  from 
  that 
  of 
  a 
  water 
  form. 
  The 
  former 
  plunges 
  over 
  a 
  precipice 
  

   and 
  is 
  dashed 
  to 
  pieces, 
  the 
  latter 
  plunges 
  into 
  the 
  water 
  from 
  an 
  equal 
  height 
  -without 
  injurj\ 
  

   It 
  is 
  interesting 
  to 
  note, 
  too, 
  that 
  there 
  are 
  intermediate 
  forms 
  between 
  the 
  two 
  extremes, 
  for 
  

   the 
  'spotted' 
  tortoise 
  N. 
  guttata 
  is 
  more 
  careful 
  in 
  its 
  reactions 
  to 
  space 
  than 
  C. 
  picta, 
  but 
  

   less 
  so 
  than 
  T. 
  Carolina." 
  

  

  He 
  conunents 
  on 
  the 
  behavior 
  of 
  the 
  separate 
  species 
  as 
  follows: 
  "C. 
  picta 
  when 
  bUnd- 
  

   folded 
  usually 
  rushed 
  off 
  a 
  surface 
  at 
  any 
  height 
  without 
  the 
  least 
  hesitation. 
  There 
  is 
  no 
  

   evidence, 
  from 
  my 
  experiments, 
  that 
  the 
  tactual 
  and 
  muscular 
  impressions 
  received 
  when 
  the 
  

   legs, 
  are 
  stretched 
  over 
  the 
  edge 
  have 
  any 
  inhibitory 
  influence 
  on 
  the 
  movement. 
  From 
  this 
  

   it 
  is 
  clear 
  that 
  the 
  hesitation 
  of 
  this 
  species 
  observed 
  at 
  heights 
  of 
  180 
  cm. 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  visual 
  

   impressions, 
  not 
  to 
  the 
  unusual 
  organic 
  impressions 
  received. 
  This 
  species 
  at 
  first 
  tries 
  to 
  

   remove 
  the 
  covering 
  from 
  the 
  eyes 
  by 
  rubbing 
  the 
  fore 
  legs 
  over 
  the 
  head, 
  but 
  failing 
  it 
  soon 
  

   becomes 
  accustomed 
  to 
  the 
  blindfolded 
  condition. 
  

  

  "N. 
  guttata 
  is 
  much 
  disturbed 
  by 
  the 
  obstruction 
  of 
  its 
  vision, 
  and 
  for 
  long 
  periods 
  per- 
  

   sistently 
  tries 
  to 
  remove 
  the 
  cap. 
  Most 
  individuals 
  after 
  a 
  time 
  move 
  about 
  freely, 
  but 
  when- 
  

   ever 
  they 
  reach 
  the 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  board 
  they 
  turn 
  back. 
  Evidently 
  the 
  tactual 
  and 
  muscular 
  

   impressions 
  inhibit 
  the 
  tendency 
  to 
  move 
  forward. 
  Whereas 
  in 
  the 
  case 
  of 
  C. 
  picta, 
  we 
  see 
  

   the 
  blindfolded 
  animal 
  risking 
  falls 
  which 
  it 
  would 
  not 
  have 
  risked 
  in 
  its 
  normal 
  condition, 
  

   in 
  N. 
  guttata 
  we 
  see 
  exactly 
  the 
  reverse, 
  for 
  as 
  a 
  rule 
  the 
  animal 
  when 
  blindfolded 
  does 
  not 
  leave 
  

   the 
  board. 
  

  

  " 
  T. 
  Carolina 
  does 
  not 
  struggle 
  so 
  persistently 
  to 
  remove 
  the 
  covering 
  as 
  do 
  the 
  other 
  species, 
  

   but 
  it 
  is 
  inactive 
  when 
  bUndfolded. 
  It 
  behaves 
  in 
  general 
  much 
  as 
  it 
  does 
  when 
  placed 
  at 
  a 
  

   height 
  of 
  180 
  cm. 
  above 
  the 
  floor. 
  This 
  indicates 
  that 
  it 
  depends 
  upon 
  vision 
  for 
  guidance 
  

  

  