992 18. TESTUDINIDE 
tortoise will void the contents of its cloaca and bladder. The 
foeces are black and about the size of those of the fox. 
“The author kept a number of desert tortoises at his 
home for a time in an enclosure out-of-doors. The captive 
tortoises paced their pens and frequently attempted to dig 
out under the fence. They were not able to burrow into 
hard ground, but in a gravel bank they would scrape away 
alternately with the fore limbs and when the hole became 
deep enough would turn around and push the dirt out with 
their shoulders. They grazed contentedly upon the lawn 
or in patches of green weeds, and also ate lettuce or cabbage 
leaves thrown to them. They were never active unless warm 
and seldom so even then, coming out in bright sunshine to 
lie outstretched or seeking the warmth of a stove or radiator 
inaroom. They were handled a great deal and were never 
known to open their mouths to bite. They soon became used 
to human surroundings and would pursue their accustomed 
activities with people about. Some of their habits are worthy 
of notice. 
“When one tortoise meets another in the course of its 
journeying each, whatever the sex, nods its head rapidly 
up and down as if in salutation, and sometimes noses are 
touched before passing along. If two males happen to meet, 
a fight is likely to ensue. After the preliminary nodding the 
tortoises separate a little distance and then rush toward one 
another with the heads drawn part way into the shell. The 
combatants meet head on and the curved horns projecting 
from the anterior end of the plastron are butted rather vio- 
lently against the adversary, but do him no damage except 
sometimes to turn him upon his back; he may then struggle 
for some time with one fore leg vibrating vigorously in the 
air and the other pawing for a foothold in the ground before 
he can right himself. 
“The males court their mates by biting them gently 
