2G4 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



ft 



melting of the ice, and other causes, but also to wet the sponges with 

 when they become dry. It is a good thing, and quite necessary, often to 

 pour salt water over the lobsters and sponges, without unpacking, in 

 order to give them a change of water. It is well to repack them twice 

 a day; but a liberal supply of new saltwater should be poured over 

 them at least once in three hours. The shell of the lobster must always 

 be wet. Not only should the lobster touch nothing else but wet sponge, 

 but it is indispensable also that it should be everywhere in contact with 

 a wet sponge. It must nowhere be bare and exposed to the air, for the 

 water upon its surface will quickly evaporate ; and should you see a lob- 

 ster with a dry spot on its back, you may be sure of its death shortly. A 

 current of warm dry air, if endured even for a moment, is the lobster's 

 worst enemy. 



Thursday, June 11, near Beowawe, Nevada, a freight-train met us, 

 bringing from the Pacific Ocean four barrels and four tin tanks of salt 

 water. The water iu the tin tanks was of course useless, but the rest 

 was welcome and immediately used. The effect of an abundance of salt 

 water was evident in the appearance of the lobsters. Repacking as 

 often as three hours would be impossible for one person, if many lob- 

 sters were taken, and furthermore useless, and, what is a more import- 

 ant fact, which should be avoided ; it would disturb the lobster, and if 

 packed entirely in sponge, it would be necessary to lift the animal each 

 time. It is much better to prepare the boxes for thorough drainage, 

 and then pour on a good supply of salt water as -often as once in three 

 hours. The ideal condition of a lobster is, unrestrained, very cold, 

 (and evenly so,) constantly wet with salt water, which should not 

 become freshened by any agency, but often changed ; and when in as 

 good condition as possible, then disturb them just as little as possible. 

 Lobsters can easily be killed with care. • 



Upon reaching San Francisco Bay, four lobsters were alive. These 

 were put into the sea at Oakland wharf, Friday afternoon,* June 12, 

 nine days after they had been taken from the Atlantic ocean. It would 

 have been better had the commissioners ordered them to be put farther 

 out to sea, where the water was not so warm, and more salty. The four 

 lobsters themselves probably did not live ; but two were very full of 

 spawn, and this probably matured. The death of a female lobster does not 

 kill the spawn attached, which may live quite awhile afterward ; and if, as 

 in the present case, the spawn reaches again the natural condition of 

 things (of the ocean) in safety, it matters not whether the parent lives. 

 The facts that these four lobsters were females, and that their spawn 

 lived and hatched, show that the eggs of the lobster are impregnated 

 before leaving the female, and not afterward, as is the case with fishes. 

 As a rule the females of lobsters are stronger and longer-lived, under 

 difficulties, than males ; and of females, spawning ones are the strongest. 



Lobsters differ so much in constitution that, in order to succeed in 

 the transportation of say ten animals, one cannot take them and attend 



