182 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 
which might cause the sand to pack and thus prevent the 
escape of the young. Often in her search of proper conditions 
the female will dig three or four holes before laying her eggs. 
A suitable nest being dug the turtie assumes‘a position with 
her hind feet down the hole, and dropping her eggs into her 
hind paws, arranges them neatly upon the floor of the nest. 
The hole is then filled in with the’sand removed from it, the 
hind feet being used. 
The number of eggs laid varies with the size of the turtle. 
Eight nests contained respectively 12, 18, 4, 22, 21, 16, 26, 33 
eges. The last nest probably contained an abnormally large 
number, 2s in it two double eggs were found, one being oval- 
cylindrical and having two yolks with no dividing partition, 
and the other having a sharp constriction and median par- 
tition. From this it is evident that the oviducts were 
crammed beyond their normal capacity. The average annual 
lay of a female would be around twenty-two. The finished 
nest appears as a small crater on the sand, about a foot in 
diameter, or, where the surface is covered with pebbles, as a 
circular area of clear sand. The temperature of the nests 
is quite constant—about 90°F. In abandoning unsuitable 
nests, the female leaves the holes open, to be filled in at the 
next rain. 
Many nests were found the eggs of which had been dug up 
and eaten as evidenced by the empty shells around. As 
ground moles were numerous on the island, it is probable that 
these were responsible. However, coon tracks are sometimes 
to be found at such ruined nests, and crows are said to dig 
up the eggs also. ‘The destruction of the species in this way 
must be considerable, for at least forty such ruined nests 
were found on the one small island in consideration. Occasion-» 
ally eggs are found which have been parasited by maggots, 
presumably of some sort of fly. It is doubtful, however, 
whether eges containing healthy embryos are ever attacked 
in this way, as out of a nest of twenty eggs two may be found 
to contain maggots, and be in a state of decomposition, while 
the rest are perfectly sound. An egg of this turtle is about 
2.3 em. in diameter, and weighs about 7 gers. 
At first pale yellow, the egg after about eight days iene 
ment becomes white on the top half, and the yolk rises and 
. 
