Evening journal., 1890-01-27
DIAMOND-BACK TERRAPIN
HOW THEY ARE CAUGHT ON THE
EASTERN SHORE.
Points On Their Life In the Muddy
Marshes During the Winter season-Ths
Tsrrapin Hunter and his weapons-A
Costly Delicacy.

Very few. probably, of the epicures
that delight to tickle their palstes with
well cooked dishes of diamond back ter
rapin, know anything about the habits of
the expensive amphibious reptiles that
are caught to make the highly favored
and seasoned dishes that they love.
While visiting the Peninsula, recently,
q correspondent of the EVENING JOUR-
NAL met an intelligent colored man who
has the reputation Of being one Of the
mightieSt terrapin hunters in the county
in which he resides, that of Somerset
county, Nd. Somerset Is one of the
Eastern Shore counties of Maryland. The
Eastern Shore, among its other attrac
tions, is honored by being the home of
the genuine Maryland diamond back ter
rRpin, the terrapin of all others that is
the best favored and the most sought
after. There are diamond backs in other
parts of of the country, but something
that the Eastern Shore terrapin feed
upon, some other condition, or their gen
eral environment, gives them a natural
flavor and taste that terrapin from other
sections do not have Il Is well known
that the Eastern Shore is noted for it's
fine oysters and crabs; its splendid
peaches, strawberries and vegetables.
Surroundings ofsuch. a quality must have
their effect, even upon the flavor of terra
pins
When terrapin are plentiful, the in
dustry of hunting them is a source of
considerable profit. The celored man
mentioned supports his family, of a wife
and several children, during the winter
season on the profit of his successful hunts
for diamond backs. Jephtha J. Whiting
ton, the colored man referred to- stated
that last winter was a better season for
terrapin in Somerset county than ever
before known. He caught 1874, three of
them were about seven inches in length,
and thirty eight about six inches long,
the remainder being smaller. His sea
sons work netted him about 800. He
is an Industrious person, and in winter,
when not engaged in hunting his favor
tie game, works by the day on farms near
his home.
A Maryland state law pro-
hibits the catching of diamond-back
terrapin from May / to August 80.
Making the open season from September
to April 80. The catching of terrapin
under five inches in length is prohibited.
During the spring and summer months
terrapin live in the rivers and creeks,
subsisting on fish, crabs or mannoes.
About September 1 they begin to seek
the marsh for place to hibernate until
the warm sunlight of the following
spring makes them wake from their
torpid sleep. They swim up the leads
and bitches running from the
creeks and rivers into the marshes.
They crawl out of the water aud wander
about until they find suitable place to
make their bed. An old muskrat or
mink hole is choice find. A miniature
pond OF a soft place in the thick mat of
marsh grass is also well adapted for the
purpose. If it be muskrat hole, the
winters bed is easily made. With little
trouble the industrious tortoise works
himself down below the roots of the
grass and encases himself in the soft
marsh mud. If a soft, yielding spot in
the marsh has been selected, the teirapin,
by dint of repeated movements of his
feet and body. gradually works
himself down in the mud to a depth of
from four to six inches. This is as far as
the roots of the marsh grass and rushes
extend Then he backs under the roots
and goes TO sleep. Many of them go up
work their way under the roots from TIA Q
sides of the ditch.
Those that find beds on the marsh are
generally alone, and rarely more than
two hit on the same hole. But If one
finds an inviting soft place in the side of
lead or ditch and works himself in, he
is likely to be followed by others. In
many cases a half dozen are found in one
of such beds. Some hunters tell fabu.
lous stories of finding a half barrel Of
tortoises of various sizes in single bed
in the side of a lead or ditch
The largest terrapin work themselves
into the mud edgewise and spend the
winter standing ON their tails with their
heads up. The smaller ones find it an
easy matter to sink down in the mud,
and manage to get under the surface
with their shells up, in horizontal posi-
tion.
Instinct prompts each reptile to select
and make its bed in a position high
enough not to be flooded by the average
high tides An occasional tide of unusual
height may cause a flow of water into
| their winter habitations, but il does not
disturb them much. Again, in selecting
beds in the sides of bitches or leads, run
ming east and west, or nearly so, the
terrapin instinctively seek the
north side. On this the winter sur
shines, and warns it to a degree that suits
the wise tortoise in his home in the bank
| The south side of the ditch is rarely
warmed by the sunshine. Sometimes th'
warmth OF mild spell OF weather vii
thaw the winter residents Of the marsl
| into life, and they will slowly work theii
way out OF their mud encircled beds anS
crawl about in the sunshine. At the frs
return of low temperature they seel
| their old beds or make new ones, anC
continue their sleep. Toward the latte
| part of March the warmer Temperature
wakes them into life again and they cree
back to the rivers and creeks for another
summer of life in the water
Bv the first week in April al
have left their beds for the water
The experienced terrapin hunter will
tell you that there is as much luck at
tending the occupation as there is in
fishing. He has his lucky days and hi
unlucky DAYS Some days he hunts from
early morning to late at night, with NJ
success, and goes home without a singh
diamond back in his bag. An averag
DAYS catch il such it may be called, i
twelve terrapins, of various sizes. Boil
white and colored men make up the rank
of terrapin hunters. 1t is not exactly
sport. for there is little or no excitemen
in it. and those who hunt do it as a mean
to earn their living.
Terrapins are generally hunted at loN
tide, when the marshes are compars
lively dry. The necessary weapons are
spear and hook. Both are usually o
rude construction, being made at home