136 WASTE-LAXD WANDERINGS. 



upon tlie banks? Could a turtle not take its bearings 

 by certain landmarks, and so be guided by sight, al- 

 though the point sought was not within the range of its 

 vision? Several years ago I made a large series of ex- 

 periments with turtles and water-snakes, with reference 

 to their possessing a special sense of direction, and I am 

 quite ready to believe that these animals do take notice 

 of the position of trees, and for such a purpose. Of a se- 

 ries of experiments with the common water-snake, I found 

 that in ninety per cent, of the removals from the water 

 to a point three hundred yards distant the snakes took 

 the most direct course to the locality from which I had 

 taken them. The meadows where I experimented were 

 covered with short grass, and the nearest prominent ob- 

 jects were the trees upon the creek-bank. Under tliese 

 the snakes were accustomed to remain most of the time 

 when in the water, and in summer they basked in the 

 sun near them. Could not this long familiarity have so 

 impressed the general ajDpearance of the trees upon the 

 snake's brains that they could and did recognize them 

 when carried to a distance of three hundred yards ? lit 

 every case I was careful to blindfold the snakes, so that 

 they could take no bearings during their inland journey. 

 My experiments with turtles resulted similarly. These 

 creatures may have been guided by the sense of smell, 

 but I do not believe it. 



It is somewhat different with fishes. If they do not 

 possess a " sense of direction," it is impossible to account 

 for their quick finding out of the precise localities of 

 their nests. " Memory and recognition of localities seen 

 one or more times" will not explain the matter when 



