The same method of breeding takes place among the turtles and snakes. Only here the eggs are not cast off directly after receiving the male seed. They stay in the female, as they do in the birds and hens, until they have received a protecting cover. These reptiles have not reached the scale of the birds and hens; they are between the frog and the bird. As we have seen, the frog has the mucilage-like substance holding together the eggs; the hens and the birds the hard shell protecting each egg; the turtle and his like have a soft shell.
The turtle, alligator, and those of the same kind of reptiles do not sit on their eggs. The female makes a kind of a nest in the sand or dry mud, lays the eggs, covers them over with sand and leaves the sun to do the rest. There are, however, many differences in the manner of HATCHING, the way the eggs are protected, and how the little ones are left to shift for themselves. But the manner of _starting_ each different form of life is always the same.
In the bird, as in all live creatures of the female sex, are what we call ovaries, from the Latin word _ovum_, meaning egg. These ovaries are situated in the body in the region we call the groin. These ovaries are little sacks which have the power of creating eggs. As breeding time comes, these eggs drop out from the ovaries and remain for a short time just outside the sacks, but still in the bird’s body.
Now the birds commence to mate, which is really nothing but the powerful instinct to reproduce their kind. The male bird is ready to be a father. He becomes vigorous, proud and strutting. His plumage is shining brilliant and he tries to show himself off before the females, who soon pick out their mates. The birds of the turkey or partridge type, dance, fight and sing in order to attract the attention of the females.
As soon as mating takes place, off the couples go to build their nests, both working together early and late to make a warm place for the little ones to be hatched.
The mating has taken place, the eggs of the female have become vitalized. The life germs have worked their way into the interior of the eggs; the eggs now commence to take on a protective covering; the shell. This soon grows to a hard shell. The eggs now being safely protected they drop out into the nest, and when all have been laid, the mother, and at times, the father bird, sit upon them until the little ones are hatched.