Cecil Howard Lay
Lay's tortoise
Lay's tortoise
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Over many years Cecil Lay made a very detailed study of the behaviour of his pet [tortoise](/wiki/Tortoise "Tortoise"), and discovered that it performed what was believed to be a ceremonial dance shortly after emerging from hibernation, following a set pattern of convoluted progress at considerable speed. He also observed that the animal preferred to eat a variety of different vegetation in rotation as the seasons passed, rather than adhering to a single preferred foodplant. These observations received scholarly attention.Maurice Barton (Dr), (The ceremonial dance of the tortoise – Mr Lay's observations) *[Illustrated London News](/wiki/Illustrated_London_News "Illustrated London News")*, 4 July 1953, cited in [Ivor Noël\-Hume](/wiki/Ivor_Noel_Hume "Ivor Noel Hume"), [FZS](/wiki/Zoological_Society_of_London "Zoological Society of London"), and Audrey Noël\-Hume, B.A., F.Z.S., *Tortoises, Terrapins \& Turtles* (W. \& G. Foyle Ltd., London 1958, 2nd reprint 1973\), pp. 43 and 50–51\.


Was scholarly attention given to Lay's observations?