Part 9

Blanchard (1922) mentions a nest in Tennessee that may have been made by either this species or E. laticeps "in a hollow in a dead willow tree about fifteen feet from the ground buried in the loose, damp, rotted wood." Noble and Mason (op. cit.:16) quote Blanchard (in litt.) that in northern Michigan fasciatus nests in logs that are exposed to sunlight. Conant (1951:31) stated that several clutches of eggs found in Ohio were an inch to six inches beneath the upper surface of the log or stump which sheltered them. Evans and Roecker (1951:70) record finding two incubating females inside rotten pine logs, in Ontario. Cagle, studying this species near Elkville, Illinois, in oak-hickory woods, found 25 natural nests of which three were in loose soil among the roots of a fallen tree, another was under loose bark of a log, and the remainder were all in cavities of partly decayed logs. Bishop (1926:119) recorded finding a female with a clutch of eggs beneath damp boards at Quicksand, Breathitt County, Kentucky.

In the present study, more than one hundred natural nests were found, of which just one (containing two clutches of eggs) was in decaying wood beneath the bark of an old log. All other nests were beneath rocks. On the University of Kansas Natural History Reservation, where most of the nests were found, the policy is not to tear apart decaying logs; therefore the nests probably present in such situations were not ordinarily found. On several occasions groups of hatchlings were seen on logs within which they probably had hatched. In the area of the study, however, decaying logs are scarce. The hardwood forests consist mostly of young trees that are second growth on cutover areas or pioneer on areas that were previously grassland. Because of frequent cutting there are few old mature trees, and logs have not accumulated on the forest floor. In northeastern Kansas, nesting in logs is comparatively rare. On wooded slopes and the edges of level hilltops, the flat limestone rocks that are often abundant provide preferred nesting sites. Even on collecting trips off the Reservation, where stumps and logs could be torn apart and searched, flat rocks were found to provide the main source of nesting sites. These nest rocks varied from less than an inch in thickness to nine inches or more, and from a few inches in diameter to three feet or more. Some were resting loosely on the surface of the soil and others were deeply sunken, on one side. Some were in situations exposing them to nearly the maximum amount of sunshine whereas others were in sites nearly always shaded. The varied character of the nesting sites chosen demonstrated a wide range of tolerance for temperature, moisture, and other factors, in the gravid and brooding female and in the developing embryo.

As already mentioned, Noble and Mason (op. cit.:9-10) noted that females would accept and brood the eggs of other individuals just as readily as their own, and several writers have reported gregarious nesting habits, with two or more females occupying either the same nest cavity, or separate cavities that were in close proximity. For instance, Cagle wrote that among the small logs he found to contain nests, four logs each contained one nest, five each contained two nests, and two each contained three nests, while three other nests were found within an eight inch square area in loose soil among tree roots. McCauley (1939:93) in Maryland found three females brooding clutches of eggs, which totaled 20, and which were so near together that there was uncertainty as to which clutch certain eggs belonged in.

The gregarious nesting habit may be of benefit in permitting maximum utilization of choice nesting sites, where such sites are in short supply in an environment otherwise favorable. Also, the gregarious tendencies make possible more continuous guarding of the eggs against such natural enemies as can be repulsed by the female, since each female occasionally interrupts her brooding to bask or forage.

Many of the nests that I found were in close proximity to others. Often two nests, and sometimes even three, were found beneath the same rock, and sometimes a distance of only two or three inches intervened between the separate clutches. It seemed, however, that in almost every instance each female had excavated a separate nest chamber originally. In some instances adjacent nest chambers communicated with each other.

On July 13, 1948, a communal nest was discovered beneath loose bark of a decaying elm log. There were 22 eggs in the combined clutch, and there were two females in the vicinity. The bark was raised on several different days to examine the eggs, and one or both females always were found with the eggs.

On June 10, 1949, at the pond rock pile, a flat rock was turned and an unusual nesting aggregation consisting of a minimum of eight females, and probably more than ten, was found. The nests were somewhat disturbed by movement of the rock. The ground beneath was honeycombed with tunnels connecting the flask-shaped nest cavities, which were in part open to the rock surface on their upper sides. Clutches of eggs numbered 13, 12, 11, 8, and 6 (the last attended by a female which appeared to be still distended with several more unlaid eggs). Of five other females taken, two had laid and three were still gravid. Of the five clutches, two had eggs noticeably larger than those in the other three, and with their shells mottled brown from adhering earth. These nest cavities were about half an inch deep and two to three inches wide. The females were released as soon as they had been examined. One female moved about over the nest areas exposed, and evinced interest in a lone egg which had become separated from the others. She moved up to it, standing high off the ground, with her head turned at right angles to her body as if preparing to push the egg forward in the angle thus formed, and tested it with her tongue, but then she became alarmed and left the vicinity. The flat rock was lowered over the nests again with a minimum of disturbance.

On July 9, 1949, the flat rock covering the nests was raised again. Most of the eggs had hatched. Two broods of hatchlings were still in their respective nest cavities, and one entire clutch had not begun to hatch although its incubation was nearly completed. Three eggs of Scincella laterale were found mixed with the Eumeces eggs. One of these was opened to verify their identity; the other two hatched a few days later in the laboratory.

The following selected excerpts from my field notes, setting forth histories of several nests, so far as they were known, give some idea of the types of nesting sites chosen, the behavior of the females, and the hazards to which the eggs are exposed.

No. 1. At corner of pond rock pile.

June 21, 1951. Female escaped when rock was turned. One egg measured 12.5 x 8 mm., mud-stained.

June 22, 1951. Nest not in evidence when rock was turned; digging into loose soil beneath to a depth of about an inch I exposed the eggs but did not disturb them further.

July 23, 1951. When rock was turned, female did not attempt to escape, but withdrew to far corner of nest cavity; when caught she voided a large scat which seemed to consist mainly of Ceuthophilus remains. Largest eggs in the clutch were 18 x 10 mm. but two were noticeably smaller, and all were heavily coated with dried mud.

July 30, 1951. Six young in the nest cavity, still not fully active; all of them were heavily coated with dried mud.

No. 2. At hilltop ledge, under flat rock 13 x 10 x 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 x 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 x 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 x 9 x 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 x 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 x 10 mm. Female was present with the eggs.

July 25, 1951. Eggs still present in the nest cavity; female not in evidence, but might have been concealed in corner of nest chamber as it was not disturbed.

July 28, 1951. Female was again found with the eggs. One or more of the seven remaining eggs were punctured in moving them during their examination. Eggs about 16 x 10 mm.

August 3, 1951. Female was in nest with the eggs some of which are slightly indented from drying.

August 6, 1951. When rock was turned, female darted out and ran to cover about ten feet away. The eggs had hatched but two young remained in the nest cavity, still rather slow and feeble in their movements and not yet fully active. When routed from cover a second time, the female ran back to the nest rock and took shelter beneath it.

No. 4. On upper slope above ledge, under a rock 18 x 9 inches, in site shaded most of day; burrow nearly concealed beneath rock.