THE HATCHING OF THE TURTLES 133 



would guess the object of her quest. She was 

 seeking a suitable place to lay her eggs and 

 leave them to be hatched by the warmth of the 

 sun's rays. She sought a sandy spot where 

 there was good drainage. The sand was 

 warmer than the dirt, and, probably for this 

 reason as much as anything, it furnished better 

 conditions for the purpose she desired. 



When she found such a place as suited her 

 notion she would hollow out a hole five or six 

 inches, or more, in depth and then deposit all 

 her eggs at one time. If she came and laid one 

 each day as birds do, several weeks' time 

 would be necessary, for Mother Snapping 

 Turtle lays from twenty to forty eggs. When 

 the eggs are all in the hole she covers it very 

 carefully, leaving little outward evidence of 

 the presence of her treasure, and returns again 

 to the water, without further thought or care 

 as to the fate of her offspring. 



The eggs do not hatch until September, and 

 when hatching time finally comes, there must 

 be a grand scratching among the youngsters 

 that find themselves thus buried beneath the 

 surface. The little fellows dig out of their 

 cavern and find their way to the water where 

 their lives will be spent. 



