92 NATURE STUDY. 



one he now wears. In this one he found that he could fly swiftly 

 and gracefully, though it was the least beautiful of all, so he took 

 it for his own. 



Then, gathering up the other suits, he flew back to where the 

 naked birds were waiting for him, and each selected the suit which 

 he wears to this day. — Cincinnati, Ohio, Commercial Tribune. 



Tommy. 



BY WILLIAM H. HUSE. 



Tommy is a turtle. If a scientist were to name him he 

 would call him Chelydra serpentina ; that is too long a name 

 however, for family use, and so we call him by the shorter 

 name. The species is naturally savage, but Tommy was 

 so young when caught that he has lost all the ferocity that 

 he may have inherited from his ancestors and never shows 

 the slightest disposition to bite except when he is hungry. 

 He has been in captivity now for three years and is hale 

 and hearty. The length of the shell at present is about 

 three inches. The entire length including neck and tail 

 is nearly eight. A year ago Tommy's weight was three 

 and a half ounces. In the year that has passed he has 

 gained nearly an ounce, and that with all he has wanted 

 to eat. This slow progress is not surprising, for like all 

 reptiles, turtles live slowly, breathe slowly and grow slow- 

 ly. It will be a long time before Tommy is too large to 

 keep as a pet. 



Like the musk turtle the snapping turtle remains in the 

 water nearly all the time, more than do some of our other 

 species, and so can be kept in an aquarium without the 

 necessity of a promenade so often as to make it a burden 

 to wait upon him. Tommy stays in the water most of the 

 time eating worms or meat according to the menu and has 

 no enemies to disturb his peace of mind. While he has 

 not as 5'et manifested affection towards any of his many 



