926 MR. A. LOVERIDQE : NOTES ON 



Pairing took place daily during the rains (December to 

 January) amongst specimens in captivity. The process of egg- 

 laying waS' witnessed on 21.V. 22, and the following notes were 

 made at the time : — 



" The tortoise enclosure measures 20 X 20 feet, two sides are 

 high walls supporting the grass roof, the other sides are netted 

 in. On visiting this enclosure at 5.15 p.m. I observed a tortoise 

 busily digging with its hind legs. The selected site was the angle 

 foimed by wall and wire netting and a post which carried the 

 latter. The hole was about six inches from both wall and 

 netting. 



" The ground was very hard, but she had already excavated to 

 a depth of about two inches in a rough circle of about four inches 

 in diameter. Digging was' accomplished by inserting one hind 

 foot which was scraped round and brought up with a very small 

 (juantity of soil on it, which often fell back into the hole at the 

 last moment. Nothing like the quantity was lost that might 

 have been, however, had not the tortoise dischai^ged a quantity of 

 urine from time to time, which resulted in binding the light 

 powdery soil and caking it to her feet. Both hind feet were 

 used alternately for digging, with occasional pauses between 

 changing them. 



"At 5.30 p.m. she began to undercut the sides all round by 

 a turning movement of the foot so that the claws Cut deeply into 

 the sides of the hole in a semicircle ; the back part, as far I could 

 see, was not much ailected. 



"At 5.50 p.m. tlie hole was approximately four inphes deep 

 and retained its origina,l diameter. The \iiine was not dis- 

 charged as at first but continued to drip fairly regularl}'^ and 

 almost continuously. By treading with her feet the soil was well 

 puddled, and yet again and again the caked soil would fall from 

 lier foot just at the moment when she was clearing the brink of 

 the crater, and thus rendered her work much more laborious. 



*' At G p.m. she scooped round and round the hole, which now 

 measured almost five inches in depth. 



" At 6.30 p.m. darkness fell, and an acetylene lamp was 

 brought. 



"At 7.12 p.m. the first egg was laid in a membrane which 

 lowered it quite easily and gently to the bottom of the hole. 



" At 7.14.50 p.m. the second egg slid slowly down the mem- 

 brane which connects the first egg with the mother. Yet it 

 did not fall on the first egg but lies alongside of it. 



" At 7.15.50 she put her right hind foot down and pushed eggs 

 slightly to one side causing them to grind one against the other ; 

 we therefore felt and found them to be perfectly hard-shelled 

 when laid. - 



"7.17,50 third egg laid. 

 • "7.19.10 fourth egg laid. 



• "7.21 put her left hind leg down and felt around, a fifth egg 

 was laid about this time,, 



" 7'.22 a sixth egg was laid, .. ■ - 



