Thoreau writes in his journal:
P.M.—To Holbrook’s improvements.
Many painted turtles out along a ditch Swamp. These the first I have seen, the water is so high in the meadows. One drops into the water from some dead brush which lies in it, and leaves on the brush two of its scales. Perhaps the sun causes the loosened scales to curl up, and so helps the turtle to get rid of them . . .