REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



89 



Lobster. — This was the most successful season of production, the oper- 

 ations extending from April 15 to June 22, aflbrdiug 702 egg-lobsters, 

 from which were obtained 10,037,000 eggs. The former practice of 

 obtaining lobsters by the agency of the station employees was continued 

 only in part, 80 lobsters being secured in this way, the remaining 610 

 by purchase. The buying of egg-lobsters out of season was made pos- 

 sible by the regular appointment of the superintendent of the station 

 as a dei)uty for the enforcement of the fishery protective laws of the 

 State of Massachusetts. This appointment came through Hon. E. A. 

 Brackett, chairman of the board of commissioners of fish and game, 

 and authorized purchase by the United States Fish Commission, the 

 conditions being that all egg-lobsters should be returned alive to the 

 water after removal of eggs and while being held for manipulation they 

 should be kept in live cars bearing the names of the United States Fish 

 Commission and the fish commission of the State of Massachusetts. 

 The 86 lobsters captured by employees produced 895,000 eggs, the others 

 9,142,000. Tlie young, liberated at the age of 21 to 48 hours, amounted 

 to 8,818,000, In addition to the above there were liberated in July, 

 1892, 1,100,000, hatched from eggs collected in June of the preceding 

 fiscal year. 



The lobsters obtained by purchase were principally from the vicinity 

 of Gay Head, weights running from 4 to 9^ pounds each, the price 

 paid to fishermen being 5, 8, and 10 cents per lobster. A statement 

 of operations by months, on a basis of 6,090 eggs to the fluid ounce, is 

 given below : 



Month. 



No. of 

 lobsters 

 stripped. 



No. of egg 

 obtained. 



Egg yield per individual. 



Greatest. Smallest. Average 



April 55 



May I 207 



June t 440 



596, 000 

 2, 691, 000 

 6, 750, 000 



18, 200 

 39, 500 

 85, 2U0 



3,045 

 3,045 

 3,045 



] 0,840 

 12, 990 

 15,340 



The time required for hatching under varying water temperatures is 

 indicated below : 



Month. 



No. of hours 

 hatching. 



Tempera- 

 ture. 



April 

 May. 

 June. 



46 to 56 hours 

 15 to 43 hours 

 14 to 27 hours 



51° to 53° 

 53° to 59° 

 59° to 66° 



Mackerel. — Only three spawning fish were obtained, these by station 

 employees, June 14. The yield of eggs was 434,500, Avhich produced 

 368,000 fry. In a temperature of 62° the eggs hatched in 77 hours. 



Sea bass. — Only nine spawning fish were obtained, these being cap- 

 tured by station employees ou June 21. The eggs, numbering 1,332,000, 

 hatched in 76 hours in a temperature of 63°, producing ], 189,000 fry. 



In May and June investigations were made for the purpose of acquir- 

 ing a more complete knowledge of spawning habits of the meuhadeu. 



