64 



THE REPRODUCTION OF THE LOBSTER. 



consecutive spawnings extend over two, three — or, indeed, more — 

 generally over four years. . . . 



" The report by J. C. Ewart, on the Scotch lobster fishery, already 

 referred to (6th Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 1888, 

 p. 196), contains the statement that, according to the testimony of the 

 lobster fishermen, about 30 per cent, of all the lobsters caught are 

 females bearing spawn. But as males and females are represented in 

 about equal numbers in the catches — I have found 2,200 males to 

 2,030 females,* in an enumeration extending over the whole year — 

 according to the statement made above, about 60 per cent, of all the 

 females carry eggs, which would indicate an interval of scarcely two 

 years between two consecutive spawnings. 



" The matter was of sufficient interest and importance to justify closer 

 investigation, and I have therefore made statistical observations extend- 

 ing over the whole year, whenever suitable opportunity offered, on the 

 number and percentage of egg-bearing females in the catches. In 

 doinc this I have not counted the individual catches, but those collected 

 by the dealers in the lobster cages, and have obtained the following 

 results: — t 



"For the better understanding of these figures, the following must 

 be mentioned : — 



"The "black" females are reckoned as egg-bearing, since, under 

 natural conditions, i.e., if they had not been confined in the cages, 

 they would have spawned. 



* Herrick found, however, among about 3,000 animals, a slight excess of females, 

 t Herrick {Zool. Anz. 1891, p. 134) has given a similar table, which, however, does not 

 give the same result. 



