COLLECTING TURTLES AND FISH IN FLORIDA 



By C. R. ASCHEMEIER 



Taxidermist, U. S. National Museum 



Having planned a trip to Florida in February 1938, I was requested 

 to extend my stay there for a couple of weeks for the purpose of col- 

 lecting turtles and fish for the National Museum. 



I arrived at Gainesville on February 21 and through the kindness 

 of Dr. Van Hyning, Director of the Florida State Museum, and with 

 the generous cooperation of members of his staff, I established head- 

 quarters there. I then proceeded to Cedar Key, approximately 50 

 miles southwest of Gainesville on the Gulf of Mexico, where I col- 

 lected both fish and turtles. Having on several previous occasions 

 visited this quaint old fishing town to collect porpoises for the 

 Museum, I was given valuable assistance by old acquaintances. Some 

 large fish, among them red snappers, kingfish, mackerel, sheephead, 

 and mullet were taken, mostly for their otoliths, while from the small 

 pools left by the receding tide several hundred smaller fish were 

 collected. 



A rare opportunity to get some turtles easily was unfortunately 

 missed here. I had visited Lake Johnson to catch some large black 

 bass, and during my absence a fisherman, being unable to get a haul 

 of fish, decided to haul his seine for sliders or "streaked-headed 

 cooters" as they are called by the Floridians. He was very successful 

 in this respect, bringing in about 75 turtles. On hearing this I hur- 

 riedly looked up the captain of the boat but found he had disposed of 

 the lot. Together with the proprietor of the hotel I then made a house 

 to house canvas for turtles and managed to get three specimens. 

 Sliders are preferred to chicken by many of the inhabitants ; I have 

 myself feasted on turtle stew several times and can pronounce it 

 delicious. Three diamond-back terrapins were obtained at the mouth 

 of the Suwannee River, at which place the sliders also were collected. 



After spending a week at Cedar Key I went to Tallahassee where, 

 with the kind assistance of my friends, Dr. Herman Gunter and a 

 member of his staff, Mr. Clarence Simpson, arrangements were made 

 which resulted in the collection of a fine series of turtles at the 

 neighboring Lakes Jackson and Iamonia. 



The lakes of Florida are variable in origin and development as well 

 as in other characteristics, and during my visit I became acquainted 



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