18. TESTUDINIDa 



tortoise will void the contents of its cloaca and bladder. The 

 f oeces 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 

 in a room. 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 



