21 



LOBSTER CULTURE. 



By ALEXANDER MEEK. 



T do not intend to refer at length to the results of the experiments 

 made last year, for the reason that the experiments now under 

 operation this year will allow of a more complete statement being 

 made with regard to the subject. 



The experiments last year were principally directed to finding 

 out the best means of procuring larvae in large numbers. In former 

 years small shallow tanks were used, and it was found that small 

 numbers were hatched and that the larvae were not usually in good 

 condition. The berried lobsters under such confined conditions 

 are very liable to strip the ova from the abdominal appendages. 

 This year eleven berried lobsters were placed in three of the Aquarium 

 tanks, and these yielded cither none or few larvae, the berried 

 lobsters again stripping the eggs from underneath them. On the other 

 hand, we had a great deal of success by placing eight berried lobsters 

 in the new supply tank, a tank holding when full 15,000 gallons. 

 A large number of larvae was obtained. These were not only 

 numerous but far stronger and more active than those obtained 

 in the smaller tanks of the Laboratory. We did not attempt to 

 count the larvae carefully, but the impression, based on counting 

 and corrected by our experiments of this year, was that many 

 thousands were thus successfully hatched. They were allowed 

 to remain in the tank, where in spite of the large area, they appeared 

 to be over-crowded, and a large proportion, which again it is diffi- 

 cult to state, since accurate numbers are not available, passed into 

 the fourth stage. 



The larvae were first observed in the supply tank on June 27th, 

 and some passed into the fourth stage on July 17th. Fifty -seven 

 of the latter were removed to a tank in the Laboratory. Two of 

 these are still living, and we have a young lobster reared from the 

 experiments of 1911. 



From the experiments being made this year it will be possible 

 to state the actual number hatched from a given number of berried 

 lobsters, and also the numbers successfully reared by different 

 methods to the fourth stage. 



