TI1K DIAMOND-BACK: BREEDING HABITS. 157 



The breeding season occurs in the latter part of June and early part of July. It is said that the 

 young show no disposition to seek the water, but prefer to remain in the sand. 



ECONOMIC VALUE. The Diamond-back is highly prized for food. Philadelphia furnishes 

 the best market for this species, but it is also sold in large numbers in Baltimore, Washington, 

 New York, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, and many other cities. The 

 season lasts from the beginning of October to the first or middle of June; the best months are 

 October and November. The specimens from North Carolina usually appear in the market last. 

 The ''counts," or those over six inches long, bring from eighteen to thirty-six dollars per dozen in 

 the market; the smaller ones are usually sold separately, at prices of from fifteen to fifty cents 

 apiece. These prices, however, are almost sixty per cent, higher than the prices received by the 

 catcher, for the Terrapins pass through several hands on their way to market. The majority of 

 Terrapins are actually caught in the summer months and are penned in yards, known as "crawls," 

 until the marketing season arrives. A description of the crawls and of the method of capturing 

 the Terrapin will be found in the chapter on THE TERRAPIN FISHERY. 



There are two principal modes of cooking the Diamond-back Terrapin, one known as the 

 Maryland style, and the other as the Philadelphia style. The Maryland style is as follows: The 

 Terrapin is first thrown alive into tepid water, the skin and claws are removed; a second 

 immersion in the water follows. The under shell is then cut away and the gall-bladder and 

 liver removed. After this operation the Terrapin is stewed until thoroughly cooked. The stew 

 is then garnished with eggs, cream, butter, and spices, and when ready for the table a little 

 wine is added. The Philadelphia style is different from the preceding only in the addition of 

 terrapin eggs, which, in the estimation of epicures, are necessary to complete the dish. 



43. THE POND TORTOISES. 



THE GENUS CHRYSEMYS. Three species of genus Ghrysemys, the Pond Tortoises, inhabit 

 the United States: 0. picta, whose range extends from Nova Scotia and Maine to Wisconsin and the 

 States on the east bank of the Mississippi, and southward to Louisiana, Northern Mississippi, and 

 Georgia; 0. Belli, whose range is from the States on the west bank of the Mississippi, and Texas, 

 westward to the Sierra Nevadas, excepting the Sonoran region ; and G. reticulata, whose range is 

 from Southern North Carolina to Florida and west to Louisiana. Of these the most important, 

 perhaps, is the Chrysemys picta. It is a very abundant species, is of considerable size, the shell 

 being six or seven inches in length, and has no disagreeable qualities. It lives in ponds, ditches, 

 and sluggish rivers, where it is almost invariably seen lying on rocks and fallen trees, backing in 

 the sun. It is very timid, dropping into the water immediately on the approach of man, and soon 

 dies in confinement. It feeds on worms, insects, and small aquatic reptiles. 



THE "CHICKEN TORTOISE." Of the two remaining species G. reticulata is the more valued. 

 It is known under the name of "Chicken Turtle" in the region where it occurs. Its habits are 

 very similar to those of the preceding species, but it is a somewhat larger animal. It is 

 frequently brought to the Southern markets, and is somewhat more highly esteemed than the 

 Yellow-bellied Terrapin PseuAemyK scabra. 



BELL'S TORTOISE. The remaining species, G. Belli, is a fine Tortoise, but appears to be ran-. 

 except in the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. Little is known of its habits, except that it 

 prefers clear waters. So far as I am aware it is but rarely eaten. 



THE GENUS CHELOPUS: THE "EL-LA-CHICK." Four species belonging to tins g-ims inhabit 

 the United States, of which the most important, commercially, is ('. ninrniorntiiit, occurring on the 

 Pacific coast between the Sierras and the sea. from Vancouver's Island to Monterey, California. 



