664 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



Marketing. Most of the larger terrapin are shipped to Baltimore, New York, 

 Philadelphia, and other large cities. "Chesapeakes," procured from Chesapeake 

 Bay, average nearly 6 pounds each and command the highest prices; while those 

 from the North Carolina region bring slightly less. The terrapins from Georgia, 

 Florida, and Alabama are much smaller than either the North Carolina or the 

 Chesapeake species, and average only about 3 pounds. each; consequently, they 

 sell at a much lower price. 



At one time small quantities of terrapin were canned in Georgia, but their rapid 

 rise in price has placed their cost beyond the reach of the canner. 



Snapping Turtles 



Although the snapping turtle is not generally considered a marine product, 

 there is some market for it. Two species of this turtle are commonly marketed, 

 particularly in the mid-western states; these are the common snapper {Chelydra 

 serpentina) and the hardshell or alligator {Macrochelys lacertina) . Some individ- 

 uals of these species reach a weight of 35 to 40 pounds, but are ordinarily much 

 smaller than this. They are incidentally caught with many types of gear by the 

 fresh-water fishermen. They can be caught with almost any type of gear in the 

 lakes and streams. 



Some of the meat is canned and some made into snapper soup. In general these 

 operations are similar to those employed in the sea-turtle industry. The statistics 

 of the catch are reported in Table 146 (p. 657). 



The Frog-Leg Industry 



Several edible species of frogs are found in the markets. The common bullfrog 

 [Rana catesheniana) is the largest and most often used. Some of the others are 

 the green frog (R. clamitans) , the southern bull frog (R. grylio) , the leopard frog 

 (R. pipiens), the southern leopard frog (R. sphenocephala) , the pickerely frog 

 (R. paliistris), etc. 



Frogs are found in low swampy areas. Theii" food consists of insects, small fish, 

 and crayfish. The larger ones have been known to swallow a 3-inch fish or young 

 turtle. Since the frogs bury themselves in the mud and hibernate in cold weather, 

 fishing is carried on only during the warm months. 



Fishing for frogs is usually most successful at night, with the aid of strong 

 lights along the shore. They may be caught with hooks attached to a line on a 

 pole and baited with a piece of bacon rind or the like; or, they may be simply 

 "hooked" under the chin without the use of bait. Many are caught with a dip net 

 or in traps; some are shot with a small-caliber rifle. 



Usually the back or jumping legs are the only part of the frog eaten. They are 

 dressed for market by being skinned; the two large legs remain attached by a 

 small portion of the body meat. The legs are packed in barrels or boxes and 

 well iced. 



Louisiana and Florida are the chief points of production in the United States. 

 Cuba exports considerable quantities to this country. Of late years they have been 

 frozen successfully and shipped to market. When frozen they are packed in 1- to 

 5-pound cartons and glazed with a coat of ice or wrapped in some type of 

 protective paper. 



In 1948 766,262 pounds of frog legs, valued at $637,856, were imported into 

 the United States. The greater portion of these came from Cuba. 



