AMERICAN FISHKUIES SOCIETY. 17 



found a food that the young readily devour, we have designed 

 enclosures within which they seem to flourish, and we have a 

 larger number of young in advanced stages of development 

 than ever before; but tlic problem is si ill unsolved, although 

 I have no doubt that contiuuod investigation will finally result 

 in the discovery of a ])ractical method of lobster culture. 



In this rejtort I have briefly outlined some of the results of 

 our scientific work for a single year, and I have endeavored to 

 indicate certain lines for its further development. Those who 

 have attempted similar work know how many failures await 

 the investigator, how reluctantly nature reveals her secrets, and 

 how difficult it is to secure enthusiastic assistants, but in com- 

 pensation how pleasurable is the sensation when one has really 

 •overcouu^ a difhculty and is then ready to proceed to the next 

 point of obstinacy. 



DISCUSSION ON PAPER OF PROFESSOR BUMPUS. 



Mr. Kavenel: I would like to say to Dr. Bumpus, in refer- 

 •ence to the lobster question, that the Commissioner, on recom- 

 mendation of Dr. Hmith, who is in charge of the scientific work 

 of the commission, thought that he had arranged this spring for 

 the erection of a large pond to carry three or four million lob- 

 sters to the fourth stage, or, in fact, as far as possible; but the 

 point selected proved unsatisfactory, the expense involved in 

 fitting it up was greater than had been anticipated, it was in- 

 accessible, and we are obliged to abandon the plan this spring. 

 It is the intention of the Commissioner that a suitable point be 

 found this summer, and that the work shall be carried to its 

 logical conclusion next year. I desire, also, as one deeply 

 interested in fish culture, to endorse all tliat Dr. Bumpus has 

 said on the subject of scientific work in connection with fish 

 culture. Without it we are absolutely powerless. We all 

 know that stations are swept out of existence by disease today 

 that the fish culturist has so far been unable to combat, noth- 

 ing being written on the subject, and we have to look to the 

 •original investigator to solve those problems for us. 



Mr. Titcomb: It is the custom, I believe, to ask questions 

 after these papers are read. I did not quite gather what the 

 food is that you fed the lobsters, if you stated it in the i)aper. 



Mr. Bumpus: I did not state. We have spent considerable 

 time in finding suitable food. Of course the young lobsters 

 are pelagic; that is, it is natural for them to swim about in 

 the ocean, and they are carried along by the current and pick 

 njt small organisms. We have tried to feed them with the 

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