ABOUT LOBSTERS 95 



rate of oxygen consumption is reduced very effectively. 

 By refrigerating the storage water, many advantages 

 are gained which can best be seen by comparing the 

 storage conditions in a tank with a temperature of about 

 60° F. (approximately the temperature of the surround- 

 ing air ) and those in a refrigerated storage tank ( about 

 42°F.). 



Pollution. In an indoor, not refrigerated, storage 

 tank, the temperature stays around 60° F. most of the 

 time, though it may go higher, especially in the middle 

 of the lobster season where the demand for storage is at 

 its peak. At 60°F., the lobsters' oxygen consumption 

 rate is quite high, and the oxygen solubility of the 

 water is correspondingly low, which is why the oxygen 

 supply of the storage water is soon used up. A third 

 disadvantage of this high temperature is that the lob- 

 sters' oxygen consumption results in an increased pro- 

 duction of dung. The water soon becomes polluted, 

 malodorous; mucus and foam appear on the surface of 

 the water. These conditions seem, however, only to 

 have a slight poisonous effect on the lobster. This prob- 

 lem has been discussed extensively among specialists in 

 this field and thorough experiments have shown that as 

 long as the oxygen supply is sufficient, the animals can 

 live for months in relatively strong pollutions of their 

 own dung. It has also been important to ascertain 

 whether the flavor of the lobsters' meat would be af- 

 fected by the polluted water. Therefore, a number of 

 persons were served both freshly caught lobsters and 

 lobsters which had been stored for a long period of 

 time, and they were unable to detect any difference in 

 taste. It was found that lobsters stored up to a month 

 in quite strong pollutions of dung had the same taste as 

 that of freshly caught lobsters. However, the immediate 

 impression of the hygienic conditions in such a tank is 

 not exactly inspiring. The greatest disadvantage is that 

 the dung also consumes large amounts of oxygen. Con- 



