151 



No. Per Cent. 

 Scarabaeid.i', Manodatl vliis sulis[iiii()Kiis, 



(Kose Biij,0, 1(1 1 1 . 



Chrysoinoluhv - Doiiacia sp., (Leaf IJivtle),.. 4 4.0 



KliviH'lioplioi'ous hectic. (Snout Jicctle), .... 1 i.l 



Diptera, (Flies), 19 22. 1 



Undetennincd, 4 4.c 



Undetermined larva, (Flies), 5 5.8 



Undetermined pupae, (Flies), ;j :{.5 



Tipulida', larva', (Crane Flics) 1 1.1 



Syrphida^, (SyrpUus Flies) 3 '.iSt 



Larvae, undet., 1 1.1 



Pupte, undet., 2 2.3 



Hyiuenoptera, (Ants, etc.), 8 3.5 



Undetermined pupa, 1 l . l 



Undetermined ants, 2 2,3 



Vertebrata, (Vertebrate Animals), 8 9.3 



Undetermined vertebrates, (Flesh), 2 2.3 



Pisces undetermined, (Fishes) 4 4.6 



Mammalia undetermined, (Mammals), 1 1.1 



Fortunately we were able to obtain enough specimens of the 

 Painted Turtle to make a fairly exhaustive study of its actual food 

 in the way of stomach contents. We are consequently prepared to 

 point out some interesting facts in this regard. As shown above, 

 eighty-six specimens of the Painted Turtle were found to contain 

 food, of which sixty-three contained vegetable matter. Thirty of 

 these had eaten Alga? or the so-called frog spawn, green slime or 

 "green maiden hair," sometimes found in quiet water. Eleven con- 

 tained undeterminable fragments of higher plant life, and thirty-six 

 contained leaves of the flowering i)lants. This shows that the Paint- 

 ed Turtle is decidedly herbivorous, as i-t feeds to a great extent upon 

 vegetation. Four had eaten seeds of plants, and three contained 

 blades of grass. One had eaten the floating plant, Lemna, or duck 

 weed, and one had eaten the seed of the dock plant, another smart 

 weed, another the seeds and pods of the pepper grass and another the 

 berries of the Common Elder (Sambucus canadensis). While the 

 berries of this plant are considcrc<l decidedly useful by mankind, 

 they will not be appreciably reduced by depredations of turtles, even 

 though two species were found to have eaten them. 



Sixty-nine Painted Turtles were found to contain animal matter 

 of some kind of the low as well as the higher forms of animal life, 

 including insects. In comparison with the sixty-three containing 

 plant food we find a balance which sliows that the Painted Turtle is 

 omniverous, and almost equally herbivorous and carnivorous. 



