TURTLES AND BATRACHIANS OF THE LAKE REGION. 475 



the station and placed in sand-boxes exposed to the sun, but none of them 

 hatched. The eggs were quite uniform in size, most of them measuring 

 1.3 X 1 inch. 



On July 21, a large female was caught on her nest by the side of the rail- 

 road north of the ice-houses. Nineteen eggs were found in the nest, and 2 

 fully developed eggs were taken from the oviduct. These 21 eggs represented 

 2 different sizes, those taken from the turtle and a portion of the others 

 measuring 15-16 x 15-16 inch, the others 1 1-16 x 1 1-16 inches and all were 

 decidedly more nearly spherical than any of those obtained July 18. 



The female Soft-shell Turtle caught July 21 weighed just 7 pounds and 

 gave the following measurements: 



Length of carapace, 13 inches. 



Width of carapace, 10.5 inches. 



Length of head and neck, 9 inches. 



Length of fore leg and foot, 4.5 inches. 



Length of hind leg and foot, 5.5 inches. 



Length of tail, 3.5 inches. 



Another example measured 11.75 inches long and weighed 5.5 pounds; 

 another 11 inches, 4 pounds; another female measured, length of carapace 

 12.5 inches; width 11 inches; and still another was 12.5 by 10.25 inches. 



The eggs of the Soft-shell probably hatch in the autumn, and there is 

 probably some range in the time of their hatching just as there is in the time 

 of laying. The period of incubation doubtless varies somewhat with the 

 season, whether such as to warm up the soil considerably or not, and also a 

 good deal with the nature of the soil in which the eggs are laid, a warm, 

 sandy soil hatching them out sooner than a colder soil. In the late autumn of 

 1906, on November 16, a nest of eggs was found in the black mucky soil near 

 the south shore of Outlet Bay, which contained well-formed young Soft- 

 shells, the color-markings (spots on back) being distinct. The egg-yolk was 

 not yet absorbed, but occupied one-half the shell while the turtle occupied 

 the other. It seems probable that the turtles would not have left the nest 

 that year, but would have wintered there. It is possible that this was a be- 

 lated nest. 



As an article of food the Soft-shelled Turtle is the most highly esteemed 

 of any of the species found in Indiana, the soup made from it being delicious. 

 Not many of the cottagers ai the lake, however, seem to have acquired a 

 taste for this or any species of turtle, and they are not much sought after. 



This turtle is the species most often caught in traps, on set-lines and by 

 anglers. On August 8, several were caught in water 11 feet deep east of 

 Long Point, on a book baited with grasshoppers. On June 27, six were caught 

 on set-lines baited with meat, 2 others were obtained the same way August 

 1, and one on August 17. Set-lines placed in Lost Lake were always quite 

 sure to take several any time from June to September. In 1906, a citizen of 

 Culver who set out turtle traps caught numbers of these. 



