226 MARINE FISHERIES OF NORTH CAROLINA 



H. F. Prytherch. All concerned with the undertaking would subscribe fully 

 to Dr. Barney's statement (Barney, 1922): 



"The large share of credit for the continuity and the accuracy of the 

 observations of the entire experimental terrapin propagation project is due 

 to Mr. Hatsel for his exceptionally careful, energetic, and faithful work." 



In all, the Fisheries Station at Beaufort, up to August, 1949, had hatched 

 and distributed 249,313 young diamond-back terrapins. Distribution was 

 very wide, as previously mentioned. At the recent close of the experiments 

 older terrapin including brood stock were distributed. 



Although many questions in regard to the terrapin remain to be answered, 

 a vast amount of information has been gained in the long-continued experi- 

 mental and propagational work at Beaufort. The results are embodied in 

 the papers cited in the bibliography by Hay (1904 and 1917), Coker (1906), 

 Hay and Aller (19 13), Barney (1922), Hildebrand and Hatsel (1926), and 

 Hildebrand (1929 and 1933). Only a brief summary of results need be 

 included in the following paragraphs. 



NATURAL HISTORY AND PROPAGATION 



The diamond-back terrapin lives in the zone between pure fresh water 

 and pure salt water. It can pass into and out of the water, but seems habitu- 

 ally to live in the water, coming on the beaches principally in the season of 

 laying to form nests for its eggs on the sand. Without such strong jaws as 

 have the freshwater snapping turtles or the loggerhead sea turtle, it must 

 feed upon such small mollusks, Crustacea and other small animals as it 

 can find (Coker, 1906; Hildebrand, 1929). A readily available food in the 

 marshes and along shore in brackish waters is the periwinkle, a small snail, 

 and this was the chief item of food found in the stomachs of wild terrapin 

 that I have examined. Hay, 1904, says that shoots and rootlets of marsh 

 plants are eaten to some extent, as well as insects when available in time of 

 high tides. There are needed more extensive studies of the food of terrapin, 

 as this may well have much to do with the peculiar and esteemed flavor of 

 the meat. 



In the breeding pens at Beaufort practicable feed has been found to be 

 chopped fresh fish, including menhaden and low-priced or unsalable food- 

 fish of various kinds, crabs, shucked reef oysters and clams. The cost was 

 found to be about 6 cents per head for a year. Small mollusks and fiddler- 

 crabs were also eaten. Salted mullet was not taken unless the terrapin had 

 been starved. Vegetables of various kinds were tried but they were not eaten 

 by the terrapin. It was thought advantageous to supplement the usual fresh- 

 fish diet from time to time with oysters, clafhs, and crabs. A supply of 

 fresh water for drinking seemed desirable. 



