Weights of ornate box turtles varied so much that no attempt was made to correlate weight with size. Absolute weights have little significance since weight is affected to a large extent by the amount of fluid in the body. Turtles that had recently imbibed were naturally heavier than those that had not; turtles brought to the laboratory and kept there for several days lost weight by evaporation and by voiding water. Weights of 22 adult females (53 records) and 10 adult males (22 records) averaged 391 and 353 grams respectively, in the period from September, 1954, to October, 1956. Females characteristically gained weight in spring and early summer and were lighter after nesting. Turtles of both sexes gained weight in September and October. Bony Shell _Fontanelles_ At the time of hatching, fontanelles remain where bones of the shell have not yet articulated with their neighbors. In general, the fontanelles of the shell are closed by the time sexual maturity is attained, but some remain open a year or two longer. The fontanelles of the shell are classified as follows (see Figs. 14 to 16 and 18 to 19): _Plastron_ 1.) _Anteromedian._ Rhomboidal; limited anteriorly by hyoplastral bones and posteriorly by hypoplastral bones; posterior tip of entoplastral bone may project into this fontanelle. 2.) _Posteromedian._ Limited anteriorly by hypoplastral bones and posteriorly by xiphyplastral bones (since hypoplastral bones do not articulate medially in hatchlings, anteromedian and posteromedian fontanelles form a single, more or less dumbbell-shaped opening). [Illustration: FIG. 14. Extent of closure of the costoperipheral fontanelles in relation to length of plastron in 17 skeletons of _T. o. ornata_ from eastern Kansas. Extent of closure is expressed as an estimated percentage of total closure of all the costoperipheral fontanelles, even though some of them close sooner than others. Closure is usually complete by the time sexual maturity is attained.] _Carapace_ 1.) _Costoperipheral._ Openings between the free ends of developing ribs, between nuchal bone and first rib, and, between pygal bone and last rib; limited laterally by peripheral bones; variable in shape. 2.) _Costoneural._ Triangular openings on either side of middorsal line between proximal ends of costal plates and developing neural plates.