No. 2. At hilltop ledge, under flat rock 13 × 10 × 1 inches, with one edge sunken in soil; exposed to sunshine for most of day.
June 24, 1951. Female, snout-vent length 70 mm., tail 27-51, weight 5 gms. Nine eggs, one of which measured 14 × 8 mm.
July 18, 1951. Nine eggs still in their original nest cavity, attended by the female; she escaped into crevice behind the rock. The eggs were in slightly damp soil, and in contact with the undersurface of the rock on their upper sides; one egg was 17 × 10 mm.
July 26, 1951. Eggs caked with dried mud; still attended by female.
July 30, 1951. Dry and empty eggshells in nest cavity, evidently all the eggs had hatched; no other trace of female nor of young; July 28th seems most probable hatching date—if, on the 27th, some of eggs almost certainly would have shown signs of hatching on the 26th when they were examined, and if on the 29th some stragglers almost surely would have remained at the nest on July 30.
No. 3. In small gully, on lower slope in hickory woods, beneath rock 9 × 9 × 1 inches, shaded by trees on south side for much of the day, especially during latter part of morning.
June 24, 1951. The gravid female was deep in nest burrow.
June 29, 1951. When rock was lifted no trace of nest was visible except for slightly disturbed loose soil at the point where it had been. When some of this loose soil was cleared away, nest was revealed, with 11 eggs, mud-stained, approximately 12.5 × 8 mm. The female was cold and sluggish, and did not attempt to escape, but cowered in the back of the nest burrow, with jaws gaping; she was caught and marked.
July 20, 1951. Eight eggs remaining in the nest—two were accidentally destroyed in moving them. These two were fertile and contained live embryos, one of which measured 29 mm. in over-all length. One of the remaining eggs was 16.5 × 10 mm. Female was present with the eggs.