166 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



Table No. 25 represents the result of a series of observations upon 

 the early stages, conducted during the early summer of 1904 by Dr. 

 A. D. Mead, and continued upon the later stages, during the latter 

 part of the same summer, by the present writer. In this case the 

 lobsters used for the experiment were taken at random from the large 

 hatching bags or special cars in which they were confined, and repre- 

 sent the normal average size for the summer of 1904. Table No. 26 

 records observations made by the writer during the summer of 1905 

 at the Wickford Station. In this case, instead of taking the fourth 

 stage lobsters at random, a selection was made of those lobsters upon 

 which records were to be started; that is, the small and weak fourth 

 stage lobsters were thrown out, while an attempt was made to secure 

 those individuals which gave appearance of being larger and stronger. 

 A comparison of these two tables reveals some differences which may 

 be better brought out by the following tabulations : 



