114 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



throughout the larval period and, for that matter, even far beyond it. 

 Not only do the larger and stronger specimens devour the weaker, but 

 individuals of equal strength attack one another, and, apparently, 

 some initial advantage determines the outcome. During the moult- 

 ing period, the mortality from these sources is, naturally aggravated, 

 because it is easy to tear to pieces the soft-skinned, freshly moulted 

 individuals, while they, on their part, are unable to fend off attacks. 



Swimming habits. — The comparatively aimless and weak swimming 

 habit which characterizes the larvae of the first three stages would 

 seem, even in nature, to afford no protection, but for cultural opera- 

 tions, where large numbers of larvse are given the restricted liberty 

 of a small arm of the sea or are more closely confined in cars of any 

 sort, it contributes to one of the most exasperating difficulties. For 

 example, it happened that when the fry in one of the early experi- 

 ments of this series were placed in a small cove or inlet from the 

 sea, especially prepared and apparently well adapted to their re- 

 quirements, they were carried out by the first ebbing tide, and 

 when, subsequently, a screen was stretched arcoss the gateway they 

 were carried against it and left stranded high and dry. In the 

 many attempts to confine them in various forms of cars, when the 

 current was allowed to pass through to prevent stagnation, a like re- 

 sult followed — the unresisting fry were always finally borne against 

 the sides or bottom. 



Once upon the bottom the larval lobsters are utterly helpless; they 

 lie upon their sides or backs beating the water with their exopodite 

 "fins" and "kicking" with the whole body. They can not crawl; 

 their only salvation is to kick themselves loose from entanglement, 

 and once more rise in the water. When confined in considerable 

 numbers, even in still water, they inevitably find their way to the 

 bottom as a consequence of their aimless drifting mode of swimming. 

 There they accumulate in corners, pockets, or eddies, and, entangled 

 in debris, they fight and eat one another until, from injury or suffoca- 

 tion, they all perish. For the full appreciation of these difficulties 

 there must be, however, the personal recollection of particular rear- 



