7() INLAND FISHERIES. 



with accumulated silt and unused food, and were apt to meet witli 

 death in fig-hting- one another. Cars were constructed with screen 

 bottoms, which prevent to a large extent the accumulation of 

 sediment, but even in these there was always some place in the 

 bottom of the car where the lobsters and any waste matter would 

 collect through the action of currents, and here the lobsters would 

 eventually die from suffocation or from fighting. 



The apparatus which promised the best results was tried by 

 Prof. Bumpus in the summer of 1899. This consisted of large 

 square bags made of scrim, fastened to a float, and weighted at 

 the lower corners. The action of the tides and winds tended to 

 keep the sides and bottom of the bag in constant undulating 

 motion, and thus prevented the fry from lying long in one place, 

 if they were inclined to sink. 



This was the method which was almost exclusively used at 

 Wickford during the past summer, although a few unsuccessful ex- 

 l^eriments were made with cars. 



Many of the experiments were made to ascertain the best pattern 

 for bags and the best method of weighting them. Several large 

 bags 15 X 15 X 3 feet deep were tried, some smaller ones 8x9x3 feet 

 deep, but the pattern used for the most part were about 4x6x3 

 feet deep. Various devices for keeping the bottom under water 

 were used — lead weights on the bottom on the corners, and on 

 the sides heavy weights and light weights, while some bags were 

 tied down with strings from the corners. 



By careful observation of these experiments a considerable ad- 

 vance was made in the knowledge of the danger to be avoided and 

 the means of overcoming some of the difficulties. 



The large bags were failures, the next in size were lietter, but 

 the most successful were the bags of the smallest size. 



Under favorable conditions, ?. e., with a moderate wind and 

 tide, the small bags lightly weighted are quite satisfactory. The 

 bottoms and sides are moved in rhythmic motion, and the fry 

 keep from gathering together at any one spot. But, when the 

 wind or tide increases, the bags are carried to one side and held 



