The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1893-11-03
THE BIGGEST TERRAPIN FARM.

Facts Concsrning the Habits Of the
Creatures With Which 1t Is Stock ed.
The largest and most successful
diamond back terrap1n farm in the
United States is on Hog island, IVir-
ginia near the village of Lewis eta.
Theisland is situated at the mouth of
Coan river and it's name was sug-
gested by the large number of hogs
which in olden days rooted along its
shores. To reach the island from
Baltimore you can take the steame er at
. o'clock. p. m. on Tuesdays and Fri
days and be landed at Lewisetta about
z O. clock the following morning.
The farm. which is at the head of a
small estuary which comes in from
Coan rivers covers about two and
half acres of water and land. The en-
tire space is surrounded by a cldsely
fitting fence, made of pine boards
about twelve to fourteen inches in
width, which are driven in the ground
about three feet in order to prevent
the terrapin from digging their way
out At the upper end Of the pond is
large waste gate made of copper
wire Through four wire doors at the
lower end of the pond the water of the
Coan river passes in and out as the
tide rises or falls.
At distance the form presents the
appearance of a garden with its ence
rising about four feet above the ma rsh.
Entering the enclosure you will find
it's inside space divided into four lots or
pens. At the upper end of the farm is
space of marsh land, which is used as
a burrow ground for the terrabins
in winter wherin they bury them
selves from sight. At the lower end
is found a space set aside which
serves as Matching pen.
The terrapin lays its eggs during
the months OF June. July and Augnst
June seems to be the favorite month
The female will leave her home in the
water, creep up the bank. and after
selecting Il sandy spot she will ar
range her nest. She first props her
self, extending her paws or forelegs
firmly and taking grip upon the
earth to hold herself in position.
Then she removes the earth with her
hind feet. striking the ground and
scooping out the cavity with alter
nate blows. The top of the hole is
made about the size of silver dollar
After it has reached a sufficient depth
the female will then commence to
hollow it out around the side, making
it about the shape of an inverted fun
ncl
When the nest or hole has been
completed she then lays the eggs. TAX
ing each with her foot and placing
the lot in a circle until the bottom of
the hole is covered. Then she places
a layer of eggs on top of those first
placed. When she has completed her
duty she then replaces the earth upon
the eggs. After filing the cavity she
raises upon her hind feet and falls
down on the earth with her breast
thus packing the earth solidly. This
done, the female diamond back dis
plays a mind for deception that she
would hardly be credited with by those
who are not up to her intellectual en-
dowments, for she crawls about over
the nest printing her footmarks on
the ground thus removing all traces
of the presence of the nest. The
female is very timid in laying time.
and if she finds she is being watched
she will amble off to the water. leav-
ing her work. and never return to
finish it.
There is a great variance in the
number of eggs laid. An expert says:
Il have known terrapin to lay as few
as five eggs. | have seen nests con-
tanning from eighteen to twenty eggs.
but twelve is good average. The
eggs remain in the ground about
seventy five days"
Two Eye Witnesses.
Do1ioauoau Who h,1n0ad vOuI ave