SHORT STUDIES OF TURTLES. 263 



being highly developed, . . . the sense of smell much 

 less so." 



The sense of seeing is not only highly developed for 

 the needs of the day, hut it is also available for wandering 

 and hunting at night. From the fact that I have fre- 

 quently found them moving about at that time, I judge 

 that their vision is largely like that of the owls. Cer- 

 tainly, during moonlight nights aquatic turtles of all 

 kinds can be found more frequently than during the 

 day. 



Fully as common, and far more handsome than the 

 preceding, is the pretty painted turtle. The beautifully 

 variegated shell red, yellow, and blue-black of this spe- 

 cies makes it a very prominent object in the assembled 

 attractions of a clear, sandy-bottomed pond ; and though 

 it frequently dwells throughout its long life in the mud- 

 diest, gloomiest ponds of marshy, weed-grown meadows, 

 yet I am persuaded that it prefers clear waters, where its 

 bright colors show to advantage. In the month of May, 

 a pair of these turtles can not be observed for any length 

 of time without showing conclusively that these bright 

 colors are appreciated among themselves, and that sexual 

 selection has been the potent factor in the evolution of 

 these prominent markings of the shell. An interesting 

 fact, in connection with this phase of bright coloration, is 

 that the painted turtle is much more diurnal in its habits 

 than any other of the aquatic species found in this vicin- 

 ity. It is possible that this assertion may be claimed 

 as mere fancy on my part ; but I do not fear the result 

 if any of my readers will follow these turtles closely for 

 weeks and months. It is only by such means that they can 

 be successfully studied ; and the inference I have drawn, 

 based upon hundreds of observations, is, as I have stated, 



