REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 41 



Regeneration. — There are many facts which lead one to suspect that 

 the loss of claws or other appendages, which is very common, and the 

 consequent regeneration of these parts, retards the rate of growth, di- 

 rectly or indirectly, by incapacitating the lobster for food hunting. 

 The whole question of loss of parts, their regeneration, the reasons 

 for the loss, means of prevention, and the effect upon the growth has 

 been given to Mr. Emmel to solve, and his preliminary paper is given 

 in this report. 



Liberation of Tagged Lobsters. — In 1902, 1903, and 1904 many of 

 the lobsters from which the eggs had been taken were liberated with 

 a copper tag, bearing a number and the words "Return to Rhode 

 Island Fish Commission," attached to the beak. 



The data relative to the movement of the lobsters during 1902- 

 1903 are given in the last report. In 1902, 112 tagged lobsters were 

 liberated and 16 tags recovered. In 1903, 385 were liberated and 

 30 tags recovered. In 1904, 397 lobsters were liberated and 45 tags 

 recovered. Thirty of these lobsters had traveled ten miles or more 

 before they were captured. One of them, No. 1366, had traveled 

 eleven miles in nine days. Doubtless some tagged lobsters were taken 

 w^here tags were not returned. 



The following table gives the data collected for the season of 1904: 



