54 
BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OP FISHERIES 
COMPARISON OF THE SIZE OF WINTER-FED AND HIBERNATING TERRAPINS AT 
ABOUT 1 YEAR OF AGE 
It has been shown that young terrapins were kept active and were induced to 
feed during the winter when they were placed in a warm house. Under such condi- 
tions the average gain in length per year over a period of 17 years ranged from about 
4 to slightly over 11 millimeters, the average gain for all winter-fed terrapins (20,034) 
being 5.7 millimeters. During this time the hibernating terrapins, of course, are 
making no growth. Table 21 shows the difference in size of winter-fed and hiber- 
nating animals at about 1 year of age for six pairs of lots of six different broods. 
The winter-fed annuals of all lots combined (1,069 animals) had an average length 
of 44.1 millimeters, whereas the hibernating animals (780) had an average length of 
37.5 millimeters. This advantage in growth appears to have been maintained fairty 
well in those lots that were grown to maturity in confinement. 
The gain in growth during their first winter of the animals that were fed repre- 
sents about a year’s growth. This lead in size over hibernating terrapins is important 
in terrapin farming, as it would hasten the turnover by just that length of time. 
Furthermore, sexual maturity was reached a year earlier and, as stated elsewhere, 
the death rate apparently was considerably lower. Winter feeding, when terrapin 
culture is engaged in for the purpose of reestablishing or augmenting the supply in 
nature, offers the advantage that most of the young will have gained considerable 
growth and will have passed through the most critical stages of life at about 8 months 
of age, when they may be liberated with the assurance that they stand a fair chance of 
survival. On the other hand, it has been considered advisable at Beaufort to retain 
the hibernating terrapins a year longer, involving extra care and work and a greater 
mortality. 
Table 21 . — Comparison of size of winter-fed and hibernating terrapins at about 1 year of age 
Brood 
When measured 
Winter-fed 
Hibernating 
Number 
measured 
Total 
length 
Average 
length 
Number 
moasured 
Total 
length 
Average 
length 
1910 
Apr. 15, 1912 
i 105 
95 
241 
262 
228 
138 
5, 614 
4, 464 
9, 424 
11,074 
9,097 
7,531 
53.4 
47.0 
39.1 
42.2 
39.4 
54.4 
‘ 104 
89 
163 
122 
208 
96 
3, 954 
3, 833 
5, 350 
3, 977 
7, 469 
4,686 
38.0 
43.0 
32.8 
32.5 
36.2 
48.7 
1911 
Sept. 9/ 1912 
1923 
Oct. 9, 1924 
1924 
Oct. 27, 1925— 
1925 
Oct. 5, 1926-.- 
1926 
Sept. 27, 1927- - 
1, 069 
47, 204 
44. 1 
780 
29, 269 
37.5 
1 These animals were not measured at 1 year of age. However, the measurements were taken the following spring before the 
terrapins had started to make new growth, and the sizes here given of course, are the same as they would have been the preceding 
autumn, or at the age of 1 year. 
GROWTH OF TERRAPINS PAST 1 YEAR OF AGE 
It has been pointed out already that the rate of growth of terrapins during their 
first year is very irregular both among broods and within single broods. This irreg- 
ularity in size and rate of growth is equally pronounced in the older terrapins that 
are being grown in captivity. It does not follow, however, that those animals that 
grow slowly at first will continue their slow growth and always be “runts.” If that 
were the case, the runts would not constitute the serious problem they are to the terra- 
