.f-'rl-^ -- FRESH-WATER TURTLES. t 



SOURCES OF SUTPLY. 



Dealers at Chicago mentioned their source of supply as the Central 

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

 Michigan — although they also received snappers and terrapin from 

 Kentucky. Specific localities mentioned Avere Winona, Minn., and 

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

 w^as an important source of supply during the winter, and parts of 

 it, especially toward the mouth, continue to be so. Kof oid states : "■ 

 "The Illinois River 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 by the markets of the large cities 

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

 As stated above, the winter is by far the most active market season. 

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

 whenever they can be obtained, fried ^oft-shells being especially con- 

 smned 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 1^ tons a month. The snappers on the Chicago 

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

 were said to reach a weight of 30 pounds, the 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 w^eight or 10 cents a pound dressed at Davenport. He said there 

 was more money selling them alive, as thej dressed off more than 

 half, and also the trouble of dressing them had to be considered. 

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

 retailed at 10 cents. A buyer quoted them at G 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; 

 whereas it used to be from 12 to 15 cents a pound." 



A published commercial price list (Chicago, 1918) quoted live 

 snapping turtles, usually 10 cents per pound, falling to 9 cents for the 

 week of June 8, to 14, and rising to 11 cents July 20 to 26, 1918, and 

 turtle meat, strictly fresh, 16 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 above regarding source of supply, 

 prices, and amount handled can best be illustrated by quoting from 



"Kofoid, C. A.: Plankton studies. IV. The plankton of tho Illinois River. 1894-1899, 

 p. 562. Bulletin, Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History, Vol. VI, 1901-1903, 

 Art. II. Champaign. 



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