Miscellaneous. 307 



to northern markets and turn into "terrapin." Who 

 wouldn't ? 



The terrapins inhabit the salt marshes, and lay their 

 eggs in the sand, as all turtles do, and the young crawl 

 out and go to the water to feed. Their food is mainly 

 fish and crabs. Their threatened extinction has led 

 to efforts for their preservation. It is evident that they 

 must be allowed to lay their eggs in the sand and have 

 the sun hatch them in the good old way, and that all 

 that can be done is to protect the young and perhaps 

 feed them. Senator Stewart of Maryland, had a ter- 

 rapin enclosure. The Baltimore American said : 

 "Messrs. A. B. Riggin & Co. have added another dia- 

 mond-backed terrapin inclosure on the Annamessex 

 River, adjoining Crisfield, says the Baltimore Ameri- 

 can. The inclosure is formed by driving sixteen-foot 

 boards in the mud to the depth of six feet, or to the 

 hard bottom, making a secure pen for the terrapin. 

 About two acres of muddy bottom are fenced in, with 

 knolls exposed here and there, interspersed with salt 

 water, which is constantly renewed by the ebbing and 

 flowing of the tide. There are also artificial banks of 

 sand in which the terrapin deposit their eggs, leaving 

 them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. Eggs are 

 usually deposited from June to the middle of August, 

 and soon hatch in the warm summer sun. A grown 

 terrapin will lay twelve eggs at a time, and lay twice 

 during the season. Terrapin require about three years 

 to become full "counts." 



"During the winter the terrapin plow deeply into the 

 mud and lie dormant, requiring no food or attention, 

 only vrarm quarters. When they wake up in the 

 spring they develop a vigorous appetite, and are fed 

 principaWy on hard-shell crabs, which they devour with 



