FRESH- WATER TURTLES. 15 



net placed entirely around it, except at the lower or entering end. 

 The turtles climbing up on the log to bask keep pushing the foremost 

 one off, and, if anyone approaches, all but one or a few at the lower 

 or entering end of the log drop into the net. By this means great 

 numbers can readily be taken. 



SHIPMENT, STORAGE, AND MARKETING. 



The shipment, storage, and marketing of the terrapin are the same 

 as that of the snapper, except that, as has been said, practically all 

 are sent to eastern markets. In the local markets they are sold by 

 the individual or by the dozen instead of by weight. 



THE SOFT-SHELL TURTLES. 



Among the possible aquatic resources of the country an important 

 place is occupied by the soft-shell turtles, of which there are two 

 common siDecies — the spiny, or common, soft-shell, Amyda spini- 

 fera (Le Sueur) (Pis. VII and VIII), and the smooth soft-shell, 

 or leatherback, Amyda mutica (Le Sueur), These turtles are gener- 

 ally northern in their distribution. They are confined chiefly to the 

 larger streams and lakes and are therefore rather unfamiliar objects 

 to the general population. They never stray far from the water's 

 edge and are very timid in disposition, taking to the water with 

 exceeding swiftness when alarmed, so that even those who spend a 

 gi'eat deal of time along rivers and lakes rarely get a very good view 

 of uncaptured specimens. They are gregarious, assembling in con- 

 siderable numbers on banks and sand bars. 



COMMERCIAL SIGNIFICANCE. 



The soft-shell turtles are seldom found in the markets. None was 

 seen in the Washington market nor in Chicago, where it was re- 

 ported that "they could not be given away, much less sold." And 

 yet, where well known, the soft-shell is regarded as the most delicious 

 of turtles. Jt is, indeed, a species of soft-shell turtle which is reared 

 in Japan, much as the diamond-back terrapin is beginning to be 

 raised in this country. 



One reason for the absence or rarity of soft-shell turtles on the 

 market is that they are too little known at the great market centers 

 and too well known at the place of capture. No general demand 

 has been created, and no special efforts are made to capture them. 

 Numbers are incidentally caught by various forms of fishermen's 

 gear, such as set lines, seines, and hoop nets, especially baited " fid- 

 dler nets " (the nets used to catch channel catfish) . These inci- 

 dentally caught turtles are not usually allowed to get beyond the 

 fisheman who catches them ; they are consumed mostly in the imme- 

 diate locality where caught. In the small towns along the Missis- 

 sippi and Illinois Rivers they are the favorite food turtles. The 

 snappers are shipped to market and the soft-shells consumed locally. 

 The dealers attribute their absence from the markets to several rea- 

 sons. They do not stand shipment as well as other turtles, being of 

 a more delicate nature. They are flatter and not so meaty as the 



