The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-06
A SAVORY REPTILE.
THE DIAMoND-BACK TERRAPIN
AND ITS HABITS.
Where 1t is Found-Pounded or
Raised Terrapin-Their Strange
Observation-Disclosures Catch
ing Quite an Industry.

caught on all the shores bordering the
Chesapeake Bay from the St. James River
to the Patapsie River, but more abun-
dainty on the eastern shore, where the
marshes are very extensive. .
In the spring time the terrapin will
crawl up to the higher and solid ground,
where the tide does not reach, to deposit
their eggs, which are hatched by the
warm sun. The terrapin digs hole in
the sand and deposits its eggs and covers
them over again by scratching the sand
, over the eggs. AS soon as the eggs are
hatched the young terrapins crawl out
of the sand and 60 right into the water
and take care of themselves. 1t re-
quires the terrapin from eleven to thlr
teen years to mature. A young terrapln
can always be told by the shedding of
its scales. After he ceases to shed his
age cannot be told. 1t is supposed that
be will shed until he is twenty years
old. 1t is thought by many that terra
pin lives to great age.
The water in the Chesapeake Bay,
being not too salt, but brackish, the
celery at the bottom of the rivers and
bays just suits the terrapin and makes
him delicious for food. He eats his
celery for five or six months, and col
lects great amount OF nutriment IN
him. Lying dormant all the rest of the
time he requires neither drink nor food,
and when disturbed he refuses to eat or
drink, but becomes fatter all the time.
The pounded or raised terrapins are
fed on fish and crabs during their feed
ing season. They cannot collect nutri-
ment enough to last them during the
dormant season. They become poor and
light in weight, and finally die for the
want of nutrment. If the terrapin.
raisers could gather the celery roots and
plant them in the beds where they in
tend to raise terrapin, so that the terra
pin could feed on the growth, they
would soon do away with all failures.
and no more worthless terrapin would
be seen on the market.
The Chesapeake diamond ter
rapin in healthy state and full weight
is worth all you pay for it. Those raised
on fish and crabs are dear at any price.
A full-sized terrapin is from I to 81
inches, but some few grow to ex-
tremes.
The terrapin, when in his native ele-
ment, collect great amount of phos-
phorus and nutriment (ninety per cent?.
You can cut off its foot and the wound
will heal up beautifully without anything
being applied to it or without fostering.
You can take a sharp instrument and
split open his shell and let it 60 into the
water. The wounded part will heal up
and become as strong as ever and show
no traces except a scar. The tcrrapin
can also live probably month or more
with his head cut off, and if you "pull
! his leg" he will pull it back with great
; strength.
TIE terrapins have some very strange
peculiarities. In the pond where they
are raised the water will be perfectly
still and not terrapin to be seen. The
keeper at feeding time will whistle and
hundreds of terrapins will pop up their
: heads and swim to the shore and take
food out of the feeders hand.
The terrapin season opens on Novem.
Der 1st, and closes April lst. During
the spring, summer and part of the
fall the terrapin is watched over by
strict State laws. In Maryland the law
imposes fine of $2O for every terrapin
caught or sold from April to November.
As soon as the frost puts in its appear
ance the terrapin will leave the bay and
hunt for bed in the little streams or
muddy marsh. He buries himself in
mud from eighteen to twenty-four inches
deep, and remains there without any
thing to eat until April. During the
summer when he is eating and breeding
he is very fierce for little fellow, and
will bite savagely; but from November
to April he does not open his mouth and
cannot be coaxed to bite.
Terrapin catching is quite business
among men who live near the marshes
and little streams bordering the Chesa-
peake Bay. 1t is estimated that 800 men
are annually employed in the industry
and that B00,OO terrapins are caught,
which yield at the average of $50 per
dozen the net sum of 81, 500, 900.
During the regular season the terra
pins are taken by men who travel
through the marshes with their legs in
cased in high boots and armed with a
stick similar to walking cane. When
they come to soft place in the marsh
they run the stick down through the
mud and feel for the terrapin. If ter
rapin is struck there is dull sound. The
hunter when he hears this sound knows
that he has struck a nest of terrapins.
He rolls up his sleeve and luns his hand
down in the hole and pulls out one or
more terrapins of greater or less size. In
the early spring. when the waters of the
many creeks and small rivers are shallow
and clear, the sun causes the terrapin to
come out and crawl up to lay, and on
cool, frosty nights they will 60 back into
the water and bury under the mud few
inches deep. They leave their shape ex-
posed on the surface of the mud and
under the water. Early in the morning
men 60 in small boats and with small
pair of oyster-nippcrs, such as are used
for taking large single oysters, make an
attempt to catch the terrapin. The trial
always results in a good-sized terrapin
being hauled out, as the terrapin won't
move and is an easy prey.
A great many terrapins are caught in
haul seines and fish pounds, but only in
summer. In spring they are lively and
quick of action, and are of little value
When caught this way they are generally
put in pound, although it is unlawful.
The pounded terrapins in the winter will
bring fair price, but not as much as
those caught during the cold months
with the sounding sticks. In the pound
they crawl over and scratch each other,
and any dealer of experience can tell the
pounded terrapin on sight.
The terrapins, when caught for mar