REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 113 



hatching of the eggs while still on the mother can not be improved 

 upon by artificial means; therefore it was found more satisfactory to 

 confine the lobsters whose eggs were ready to hatch in flat crates, 

 three feet square and four inches deep, made of lathes about one inch 

 apart (Plate XXII). These were then placed in the rearing bags 

 and removed as soon as a sufficient number of fry was obtained in 

 the bag. The injury caused to the fry from being thrown by the 

 current against the crates was prevented by allowing the crates to 

 float with the current. They were, however, loosely fastened around 

 the paddle shaft so as to prevent them from knocking against the 

 sides of the bags. The hatching crates were used for two different 

 purposes. First to prevent the loss from eggs collecting in a mass 

 at the bottom and spoiling; second, to keep the age of the fry in a 

 bag within a certain limit, depending on the length of time the crates 

 are kept in the bag. 



REGULATION OF THE CURRENT. 



The use of the copper screening for the windows necessitated a 

 different adjustment of the angle of the paddle in order to produce 

 a proper current. A current just sufficient to keep the food and the 

 lobsters suspended in the water was found to be best. It was 

 further observed that the proper adjustment of the paddle, and 

 consequently the current, kept the fry reasonably free from growths 

 of diatoms, fungi, etc., prevented the windows from becoming 

 clogged with food particles and lobster casts, and improved the 

 condition of the bag in general. 



SHADING THE BAGS. 



Shading the rearing bags was also tried, but as yet no positive 

 results have been reached. The records show a slight lengthening 

 of the third stage in the lots shaded. This may not be caused, 

 however, by the shading. 



