REPORT OF COMMISSIOXERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 261 



uously, throughout the period between molts; the other, regeneration, 

 may be artificially introduced by mulitation at any point within 

 this period. The interesting question arises as to what influences 

 they may exert upon each other. Will the process of regeneration 

 produce any effect upon the activities involved in molting, and vice 

 versa? 



Since it is evident that, in the molting process, a certain amount 

 of energy is being regularly directed into the production of a greater 

 mass of tissue, and the formation of a new shell to accommodate 

 the increasing size of the growing organism; and since it is equally 

 evident that a certain quantity of energy is necessary for the produc- 

 tion and development of a mass of new tissue in the regeneration of 

 a limb, the further question arises: — if the two processes do influnce 

 each other, is the interaction of such a nature as to indicate that 

 the energy normally involved in the cellular activities of molting 

 may be diverted into the other series of cellular activities, regenera- 

 tion? 



The object of the present series of experiments is to study some 

 of the relations existing between these two processes of regeneration 

 ^nd molting. 



The present experiments and observations were made, during the 

 •summer of 1905, at the Experiment Station of the Rhode Island 

 •Commission of Inland Fisheries, Wickford, Rhode Island. The 

 lobster hatchery at this station furnishes unsurpassed opportunities 

 to obtain, from the thousands of young lobsters hatched during the 

 months of June and July, material for experimental work. 



The specimens selected for the experiments were young lobsters 

 which had all molted to the same stage on the same day. By selecting 

 & lobster pool in which the lobsters, perhaps 2,000 or more, were all 

 known to be in a given stage, and by watching for the next molt, 

 it was possible to obtain a large number of specimens which had 

 molted to the same stage on the same day. Care was taken also 

 to select only those individuals which were practically equal in size, 

 and in a normal condition. The value of these specimens for com- 



