13 



nection the belief of the fishermen concerning the breeding of 

 the shrimp is perhaps of interest. 



The fishermen claim, so I have been told, that the large shrimp 

 come into the shallow parts of the Large bays along the 'coast in 

 the fall and deposit their eggs in the soft, muddy bottoms. Bere 

 the eggs pass the wilder and slowly develop. In the spring the 

 young shrimp force their way out of the mud. causing the water 

 to become very muddy. While il may be true that many small 

 shrimp are found in these places al thai time of the year, they 

 are probably other species, and would in no way have much of 

 any influence on the condition of the water. This will perhaps 

 be more apparent when it is mentioned that the developing 

 shrimp passes through the several stages in its life history while 

 floating at the surface of the wafer. 



On the South Atlantic Coast it is claimed that this shrimp 

 (or a closely related species) breeds in the deeper water, (o.) 

 A similar habit may be found in this region, which would ac- 

 count for the absence of the larger specimens from the fishing 

 grounds during the summer months. 



LIFE HISTORY. 



The period of growth in the egg is very short in this form and 

 the young hatches out in a very immature condition. Although 

 this stage has not yet been taken in this region, it is not likely 

 that it will prove to be different from those already studied. At 

 this time the larval shrimp has an oval body, but three pairs of 

 appendages, and a single, median eye — and is now called a 

 n'auplius. The majority of shrimp pass through this stage 

 while still in the egg. The young shrimp is now capable of mak- 

 ing feeble movements and can in ;i measure direel its course. 



As already mentioned, the shrimp is covered with a hard, firm 

 covering, the exoskeleton. . As this is a tough, unyielding layer 

 it is necessary to cret rid of it from time to time in order that 

 growth may take place. This is dime by the shedding of this 

 coat, which is known as moulting, at which time the outer cover- 

 ing of the body is sloughed off as a thin layer, retaining the ex- 

 ternal shape of the body. On this account we find that growth 

 takes place by a series of steps or jumps and not in a regular, 



(6^ Brooks, The Development of Penaeus. Johns Hopkins Univ. Clrc, Vol. 

 IT, 1882. 



