Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 611 



When disturbed they would scurry into the water where they could 

 be seen scattered about near the pier, their heads sticking out of 

 the water, ready to crawl out again when the cause of their alarm 

 had disappeared. The majority were painted turtles, though there 

 were usually among them several maps and a few soft-shells, an 

 occasional musk turtle, and now and then a snapper. 



On July 25, 1899, 280 painted turtles were caught at one haul 

 with a 35-foot seine off the Assembly grounds. 



This turtle is a shallow water species and is not often observed 

 out in the lake at any great distance from the shore; in this 

 respect it differs markedly from the Map Turtle, the Soft-shell and 

 the Snapper. We have no record of any Painted Turtle having 

 been seen in the lake more than a few rods from shore. 



On the other hand it is seen oftener than any other species on 

 dry land about the lake. 



Early in June they begin wandering about, apparently hunting 

 for suitable nesting places. They probably wander farther from 

 the lake than any other species (excepting the Snapper), and may 

 be seen in the fields, pastures, along the railroad, and in the open 

 woods. They laj^ their eggs about the middle of June in shallow 

 holes which they dig in the sand with their hind feet. The eggs 

 appear to hatch out late in the fall. On September 28 a nest of 10 

 young, each about an inch long, was dug up in a potato field on 

 Long Point. Favorite nesting sites are the sandy slopes of the 

 railroad grade and the Assembly grounds, the field south of Green's 

 fiat, and the north shore of Long Point. Soon after hatching the 

 young seek the nearest water, crawl into the mud, and remain until 

 spring. 



In the fall they seem restless and wander about a great deal. 

 They are often seen crossing the railroad between the main lake 

 and Lost Lake. The number killed by passing trains is astonish- 

 ingly great. It is probably within safe limits to say that not fewer 

 than a hundred are killed at Maxinkuckee every year by passing 

 trains. Many are also killed by wagons on the public highway. 



Along with the painted turtles killed in these ways there are 

 killed a good many map turtles and a few each of the snapiiers 

 and musk turtles, as well as a great many frogs, toads, and snakes. 



The Painted Turtle muds up and hibernates during the winter. 

 We never observed many under the ice. Early in the fall those 

 about Outlet Bay and along the west side of the lake tend to mi- 

 grate to Lost Lake, or more definitely to Green's flat and the shal- 

 low ponds along the railroad below the Outlet. 



