90 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



When they do swim they appear to be heavier in the water and the 

 swimming is undertaken with a definite goal in view, and the 

 direction of their swimming is not much affected by the current. 

 The claws, instead of being stretched out in front, as is so frequently 

 the case in the fourth stage, are drawn back so that the tips are just 

 in advance of the head, as in the adult lobsters. 



A number of lobsters which had recently passed into the fourth 

 and fifth stages, respectively, were liberated in deep water and also 

 along shore in shallow water, and were observed carefully in order 

 that their behavior at this important crisis might be compared. 



When liberated in deep water the fourth-stage lobsters would 

 often swim for a time actively at or near the surface of the water. 

 A few going deeper into the water would come up to the surface again, 

 When there were bits of sticks, eelgrass, etc., close at hand they 

 would often bump into them, stop and investigate a moment, and 

 then swim away. The fifth-stage lobsters, when liberated in deep 

 water where there was nothing to attract attention, would soon be 

 lost sight of in their descent. Very few would return to the surface 

 again. Where there were objects strewn about they would either 

 descend un attracted by them or would swim to the nearest object 

 and attempt to crawl upon it. If the object were too small to hold 

 them they would fall off and perhaps remount two or three times, and, 

 failing to stay on, would seek another object. 



When liberated in very shallow water along shore, the fourth-stage 

 lobsters would swim about till attracted by something on the bottom, 

 and would then drop down and investigate, not infrequently going 

 down and coming up several times. Some would swim back and 

 forth between the deeper water and the shore. It is true that many 

 of these would establish themselves more or less permanently on the 

 bottom, and it should further be stated that fourth-stage lobsters 

 which are nearing the fifth stage anticipate the habits of that stage. 

 The fifth-stage lobsters liberated near the shore would, almost with- 

 out exception, go down to bottom at once; often crawling down a 



