FKESH-AVATER TUETLES. i 



SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 



Dealers at Chicago mentioned their source of supply as the Central 

 States — Wisconsin, JVIinnesota, Iowa, Indiana, South Dakota, and 

 Michigan — although they also received snappers and terrapin from 

 Kentuckj^ Specific localities mentioned were Winona, INIinn., and 

 Guttenburg and Muscatine, Iowa. At one time the Illinois Kiver 

 was an important source of supply during the winter, and parts of 

 it, especialh'^ toward the mouth, continue to be so. Kofoid states :« 

 "The Illinois Eiver and "its backwaters, under present conditions, 

 contribute annually * * * 15,000 dozen turtles" (probably in- 

 cluding both snappers and terrapin). During the progress of the 

 investigation of the Upper Illinois in June, 1918, there was no fishing 

 at all on account of the closed season on fishes and, naturally, no cap- 

 ture of turtles. 



MARKET CONDITIONS AND PRICES. 



The amount of turtles handled ])y the markets of the large cities 

 does not, of course, indicate the quantity which is consumed locally. 

 As stated above, tlie winter is l)y far tlie most active market season. 

 However, along the rivers the turtles are eaten the year around, 

 whenever they can be obtained, fried soft-shells being esi)ecially con- 

 sumed during the summer. The wholesale market in Chicago pre- 

 viously referred to handles about 10,000 snappers a year, valued at 

 $5,000. Its buyer thinks he could handle a ton a week. Another 

 market handled 1 to H tons a month. The snappers on the Cliicago 

 market range in weight from 5 to 25 pounds each. At Peoria they 

 were said to reach a weight of 30 pounds, tlie average being 7 or 8 

 pounds. According to the census of 1908, the Mississippi River Basin 

 produced 713,000 pounds of turtles and terrapin, with a value to the 

 fishermen of $25,000. 



In these days of uniform prices for standard commodities ,a strik- 

 ing feature of the turtle market is the variety of prices. A turtle 

 catcher at Muscatine, Iowa, stated that he could get 5 cents a pound 

 live weiglit or 10 cents a pound dressed at Davenport. He said there 

 was more money selling them alive, as they divsscd off moie than 

 half, and also the trouble of dressing them had to l)e considered. 

 One dealer in Chicago sold in wholesale lots at 8 cents a pound and 

 retailed at 10 cents. A buyer quoted them at to 7 cents a pound 

 live weight. At St. Louis it was said that "turtle meat is selling 

 higher than ever before, it being now (June, 1918) about 18 cents; 

 Avhereas it used to be from 1'2 to 15 cents a pound." 



A publislied commercial i^rice list (Chicago, 1918) quoted live 

 snajiping turtles, usiiallv 10 cents per pound, falling to 9 cents for the 

 Aveek of .June 8, to U, and rising to 11 cents July 20 to 20, 1918, and 

 turtle meat, strictly fresh, IG to 17 cents, rising during the progress 

 of the summer. In the early part of the season frozen turtle meat 

 was listed at 15 cents. 



Many of the points covered aboA^e regarding source of suj^ply, 

 prices, and amount handled can best be illustrated by (juoting fi'om 



•Kofolrl, C. A.: Plankton stiidlpH. IV. The plankton of tho Illinois RIvor. 1S04-1899, 

 p. 5fi2. nnllofin, IlllnolH State Laboratory of Natural History, Vol. VI, 1901-1903, 

 Art. II. CbampalgD. 



■if)2m°—2\ 20 



