5S INLAND FISHERIES. 



XII. What h tlie rate of (jrowtli up to neraal niatur'dy ? 



The observations and experiments bearing- upon this question 

 were made at the Kickeniuit river, and these methods were adopted : 



A. A large number of starfish were kept under constant obser- 

 vation and surrounded with natural conditions as far as possible. 



B. Frequent observations were made upon the starfish in their 

 natural environment. 



C. Individual starfish were reared under various conditions, 

 and their growth recorded from time to time. 



D. Starfish which were regenerating- lost parts were kept under 

 various conditions, to determine the rate of growth and the rate 

 of regeneration. 



A and B. On June 29th a bunch of sea-weed, on which were 

 hundreds of small stars, was placed in a car at the house-boat. 

 All the stars were very small. The greater number were about 

 the size of that in Fig. 5, but they ranged from the size shown in 

 Fig. 4, jusl; setting on the eel-grass, to that in Fig. 6. 



On July 15th it was found that hundreds of stars had crawled 

 through the wire netting, and Avere thickly scattered about on the 

 under side of the car. Here they had found an abundance of 

 small barnacles, which to all appearances they very much relished. 

 After preserving- a few specimens, to compare with those taken 

 from the sea-Aveed, the rest of the stars were left unmolested upon 

 the bottom of the car. The average size of the stars on the car 

 was greater than the average of the larger specimens on the sea- 

 weed. This was doubtless due to the fact that the former were 

 better fed. A difference in shape was also striking, those on the 

 car being more plump. Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent three speci- 

 mens taken from the sea-weed on this date, and Fig. 10, one of the 

 larger specimens (3 m. m. from mouth to ti}) of arm) from the 

 car, all natural size. The measurements Avliich folloAV are all 

 taken from mouth to tip of arm. 



On July 18tli the stars showed a very appreciable growth. One 



