16 VERTEBRATA. REPTILIA. 



eggs, and that from a great distance. Audubon has 

 given a lively picture of their operations . " On 

 first nearing the shore, and mostly on fine, calm, 

 moonlight nights, the Turtle raises her head above 

 the water, being still distant thirty or forty yards 

 from the beach, looks around her, and attentively 

 examines the objects on shore. Should she observe 

 nothing likely to disturb her intended operations, 

 she emits a loud hissing sound, by which such of 

 her many enemies as are unaccustomed to it are 

 startled, and so are apt to remove to another place, 

 although unseen by her. Should she hear any noise, 

 or perceive any indications of danger, she instantly 

 sinks and goes off to a considerable distance ; but, 

 should everything be quiet, she advances slowly to- 

 wards the beach, crawls over it, her head raised 

 to the full stretch of her neck ; and when she has 

 reached a place fitted for her purpose, she gazes 

 all around in silence. 



" Finding * all well,' she proceeds to form a hole 

 in the sand, which she effects by removing it from 

 under her body with her hind flappers, scooping it 

 out with so much dexterity that the sides seldom, 

 if ever, fall in. The sand is raised alternately with 

 each flapper, as with a large ladle, until it has accu- 

 mulated behind her, when, supporting herself with 

 her head and fore-part on the ground fronting her 

 body, she with a spring from each flapper sends 

 the sand around her, scattering it to the distance 

 of several feet. In this manner the hole is dug 

 to the depth of eighteen inches, or sometimes more 



