NO. 19.] ECHINODERMS OF CONNECTICUT. 



35 



On the privately controlled beds regular examinations are 

 made for the presence of the starfishes, and, whenever they are 

 found in unusual abundance, it is imperative that immediate 

 steps be taken to destroy them. This is accomplished by the use 

 of mops, as described below, by means of which the larger star- 

 fishes are caught and killed. 



By such thorough and regular inspection the very extensive 

 injuries of former years have been largely controlled, and the 

 oyster grower of to-day, like the fruit grower on the land, always 

 reckons upon a certain expense for the destruction of pests. 



The actual expense of this method of controlling the star- 

 fish varies somewhat from year to year; and, while an accurate 

 estimate of the total amount is not available, it is known to be 

 very great. And yet, as in the case of the fruit grower, it is 

 but a fraction of the amount that would inevitably be lost if 

 such measures were not taken. 



During the year 1909, inquiry as to the number of starfish 

 actually destroyed in carrying out this policy of protection shows 

 that many thousand bushels of the pests are annually destroyed. 

 When we consider the fact that each bushel will contain several 

 hundred starfish, the number, of course, varying with the size, 

 we may gain some conception of the vast number destroyed. 



In reply to an inquiry, the following statements by a promi- 

 nent oyster planter may be considered as expressing the most 

 accurate information obtainable. "The starfish seem to vary 

 in different localities from month to month, but the average on 

 the whole seems to keep up remarkably high, considering the fact 

 that such a vast quantity of these destructive creatures are caught 

 by the oyster steamers." "We have not at command definite 

 amounts that are caught per year, but in a general way would 

 say that they probably run from 5,000 to 10,000 bushels per 

 year. Some years they may exceed the latter figure." 



The excessive abundance in restricted localities often oc- 

 casions great alarm among the growers, but of late years success 

 has invariably rewarded the determined effort to combat the pest 

 upon any particular bed. Sometimes, however, it must be ad- 

 mitted that this result has been attended with very great expense. 



Although it is probable that the injuries during recent years 

 are on the whole less than in some former years, yet the total 



