]2 



MK, B. F. CUMMINGS OX 



Homing Experiments, 1910. 



The first step was to find a pond suitable for experimental 

 purposes, which was not easy in this neighbourhood where ponds 

 are not common. Eventually I found a pond, which though 

 not by any means the best possible, yet fulfilled sufficiently 

 the required conditions. It was conveniently near home, it 

 contained a good ntnnber of Palmate Newts, and was small 

 enough to admit of a thorough dredging. Text-fig. 4 represents 

 the general nature of the surroundings. The sides of the pond 

 were bricked up, and there was a thick sediment of mud at 

 the bottom. The three sides A, B, C, rose perpendicular from 

 the water for a foot, while at the fourth and remaining side the 

 water was level with the edge. The depth was 18 inches on an 

 average, but it varied of course at difierent states of the weather 

 and at diflferent periods of the spring season. The area of the 

 surface-water exposed was 4 sq. metres 60 sq. decimetres. 



Text-fiff. 4. 



ROAD 



TALL HEDGE 



GENTLE INCLINE 

 DOWN 



X 



STEEP GRADIENT DOWN 



z ■ 



HEDGE 



GRASS FIELD 



Plan showing pond and its surroundings used for homing experiments 

 Nos. 1-10. 



The pool occupied a very sheltered position and was protected 

 from all winds except those from an easterly direction. For 

 dredging the pool I used a large prawning net on a long pole. 

 At first I could not be sure that the pool was efficiently dredged, 

 as it was impossible to see whether all ISTewts had been satis- 

 factorily removed. Subsequently I was in several ways able 

 to show that the pool could be thoroughly cleared, when necessary, 

 of all Kewts, if the dredging was carefully done. 



