The navel ("umbilical scar") of captive hatchlings ordinarily closed by the end of the second month but in three instances remained open more than 99 days. The position of the navel is marked by a crescent-shaped crease, on the abdominal lamina, that persists until the plastron is worn down in later years (Pl. 24, Fig. 1). [Illustration: FIG. 7. A hatchling of _T. o. ornata_ (× 2) that still retains the caruncle ("egg tooth"). A distinct boss will remain on the maxillary beak after the caruncle is shed.] The caruncle ("egg tooth") (Fig. 7) remains attached to the horny maxillary beak for a variable length of time; 93 per cent of the live hatchlings kept in the laboratory retained the caruncle on the tenth day, 71 per cent on the twentieth day, and only 10 per cent on the thirtieth day of life. Few individuals retained the caruncle when they entered hibernation late in November, and none retained it upon emergence from hibernation. Activities in the first few days or weeks of life influence the length of time that the caruncle is retained; turtles that begin feeding soon after hatching probably lose the caruncle more quickly than do those that remain quiescent. The caruncles of some laboratory specimens became worn before finally dropping off. Almost every caruncle present after 50 days could be flicked off easily with a probe or fingernail. The initiation of growth of the horny maxillary beak probably causes some loosening of the caruncle. The caruncle may aid hatchlings in escaping from the nest. After the caruncle falls off, a distinct boss remains, marking its former place on the horny beak (Pl. 25, Fig. 1); this boss is gradually obliterated over a period of weeks by wear and by differential growth, and is seldom visible in turtles that have begun their first full year of growth. The "first full year of growth" is here considered to be the period of growth beginning in the spring after hatching. Growth of Epidermal Laminae Growth of ornate box turtles was studied by measuring recaptured turtles in the field, by periodically measuring captive hatchlings and juveniles, and by measuring growth-rings on the epidermal laminae of preserved specimens. Studies of growth-rings provided by far the greatest volume of information on growth, not only for the years in which field work was done, but for the entire life of each specimen examined.