266 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



One of the must important questions in turtle farming is that of food supply. 

 The profit depends largely on whether a constant supply of healthful food can be 

 obtained cheaply and abundantly. In the Hattori farm chief dependence in this 

 respect is laid on the "shiofuki" shell {Mactra veneriformis Deshayes) which occurs 

 in enormous quantities in the Bay of Tokyo. These shells are crushed under a 

 heavy millstone rolled in a long groove in which they are placed, as shown in figure 2, 

 plate in. Other kinds of food given are any dried fish scraps, silkworm pupa;', 

 boiled wheat grains, etc. 



A curious part of the ecological relations of a turtle pond is this: It would be 

 supposed that putting other animals in the same pond with the snapping turtles would 

 he detrimental to the welfare of the latter, but experience has proved just the con- 

 trary. It is now found best to put such fishes as carp and eels in the same ponds 

 with the turtles. The reason, I am told, is that these fishes stir up mud and keep 

 the water of the pond always turbid, and this is essential to the well-being of the 

 turtles, as is proved when the messmates are taken out of the pond. Dirt and mud 

 then settling down, and the water becoming clear and transparent, the turtles, which 

 are extremely timid, will not go about searching for food, and thus very undesirable 

 results are brought about. 



The business of turtle raising has thrived well. When I first became acquainted 

 with the turtle farm, now over twenty years ago, it was a small affair with only a 

 tew small ponds, and the eggs hatched out in one year were, all told, not much over 

 1,000. Now the enterprise embraces three establishments: (1) The original farm at 

 Fukagawa, Tokyo, now enlarged to 7 acres; (2) the large farm at Maisaka, near 



Hamamatsu, province of Tot i. over 25 acres, whither the main part of the business 



has been transferred; and (3) the second farm in Fukagawa, about 2 acres in extent. 

 These three establishments together will yield this year (1904) about 4. Loo egg- 

 deposits, which means 82,000 eggs, counting 20 eggs to a deposit on an average. 

 Probably 70,000 young will bo hatched from these, and deducting 10 per cent loss 

 before the third year, there will be about 60,000 "suppon" ready for the market in 

 three years. The turtles sold in a year in Osaka. Tokyo. Nagoya, and a few other 

 towns weigh about 2,000 kwan (=16,500 pounds), and are worth about 6.50 to 7.50 

 yen (1 yen=$Q.50) per kwan. 



There are several minor turtle farms besides those mentioned above, but as they 

 are all modeled after those under Mr. Hattori's management, they need not be 

 described further. 



THE GOLD-KTSH. 



Garassvus auratus Linnseus. 



The gold-fish is the characteristically oriental domesticated fish. Its beautiful 

 bright coloration and graceful form, with long, flowing fins, appeal most strongly 

 to one's sense, of the beautiful. It also is intensely interesting from the scientific 

 standpoint, and proves a source of endless surprises to the biologist, for it is a 

 plastic material with which skillful breeding can, within certain limits, do almost 

 anything. < )ur yold-fish breeder seems to have understood the principle of "breed- 

 ing to a point" to perfection, and I have often been interested in hearing some 



