Milford chronicle., 1944-01-14
80 noe EDUGATl0 N
"TAe CMiG's First School is Lhr
Famiiy"-FRoEBEL
Issued by tile National Kindergarten
Association. West 10th Street,
New York City
BUDDY VISITS THE BABY
TURTLES
Edith Bralldis

Rex, knew about Buddy's keen in
terest in all live creatures which
began when Mother took him to
visit the baby bees. So Rex always
shared any new knowledge of this
kind with Buddy and showed him
as much as he could,
Every spring few land turtles
scnitled across the yard and gar
den, through the grass and leaves
and out into the orange orchard
north Of the house. Someone told
Rex that they came every year
and could be found at nearly the
same place. on the same day of
the month.
Rex told this strange fact TO
Buddy. These land turtles or tor
toises." he said. come regularly.
like your birthday and like Christ
mas and Fourth Of July
'Why do they do that" asked
Buddy
Il wouldn't know" said Rex.
But maybe they are going to
turtle party or to a turtle conven-
tiOn. And now. when spring comes.
We will watch and try to learn
something about the way turtles 90
about their business.
Rex found some pictures of tor
toises and read simple facts about
their lives and told Buddy some of
them. so that as spring came both
were ready To watch for the odd
tsfIit.u tx-Iairh l1nDits
elders seemed to know SO little
Buddy was eagerly looking for
ward TO the visit of Tilly or Tommy
Turtle. Sometimes he could hardly
wait
One day in early May. Mother
took Buddy to town with her in
the car and they did not return
for several hours. Rex had an eX-
citing story when they came back.
Tilly. the Turtle had crossed the
yard. gone into the orchard where
there was nice dust mulch. and
there. under the Sain Michaers
orange tree. had dug hole with
her funny feet and laid lot of
little eggs.
ooh. Rex. is she sitting OH her
eggs now"
No. She just put them there
and went away.
How will they get hatched?"
The sun will hatch them, cN-
planned Rex.
Gould see one egg, Rex? Just
One?'
"I'll ask Mother. Maybe tOmor-
row she will go with us.
The following day in midmorn-
ing when the turtles nest was in a
spot of sunshine. Mother and Rex
and Buddy went out. and while
Mother and Buddy watched, Rex
brushed away layer of dust with
Il bunch of soft grass that he had
made. When one little egg was un-
covered. Rex took il carefully and
laid il in Buddy's hand.
"Why it has no SHELF eXclaim-
ed Buddy.
No; just a tough skin.
Just a tough skin with baby
turtle inside. Oh, let's put il back
quickly so the sunshine will hatch
il out"
After that, every day the two
boys went out and sat under the
Saint Michael's orange tree and
watched to see if the turtle eggs
were Matching; but nothing show
ed through the soft dust. Then one
morning while they watched, the
dust stirred and a pointed snout
poked up. and they saw two funny
bright eyes. and in another mo-
ment funny little round body.
exactly like the mother turtles.
came scrambling out of the dust
with all four legs working hard
as lie headed straight onward.
Buddy was so excited he got
down ON his hands and knees and
watched with all his eyes. uttering
soft little squeals and yelps as one
after the other. then the rest all
together. the baby turtles began
to scramble out of the dust from
all sides of the nest. and without
pausing a moment. they headed out
into the green cover crop. that must
have been like tall trees to them.
When the Matching was all over
anu the last lily anu iOhhIny ,
Turtle had disappeared, Buddy
said to Mother. Last year saw
a Mother Turtle. But this year Rex
helped me see a turtle nest, a little
white egg and twenty-three baby
turtles. They went away about
turtle business. | saw them. ] think
it was JUST GRAND. Thank you.
Rex, Thank you, Thank you!"