18 INLAND FISHERIES COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 



seem to be taken at all times of the year with spawn. It is a well 

 known fact, of course, that the female passes her spawn and retains 

 it under her tail for a period, probably until it is hatched. Every 

 female destroyed at this time represents the destruction of tens of 

 thousands of young. Could the catchers of lobsters, Avho are com- 

 paratively a very small factor of the general public, be made to see 

 what an increase it would give to their annual profits if these spawn- 

 ers were returned to their element, and time given them to hatch 

 their young, and these young not taken until they are of a size to 

 make them of some value in the markets, we feel sure they would 

 be the first of all to endorse such a law as we suggest. 



Lobsters are always in great demand. If not sold fresh they are 

 canned and sent to the interior of the continent where the fresh lob- 

 ster is never seen. So far as the limit of size is concerned we are well 

 assured the law will be most popular. All j)ersons we have inter- 

 viewed on the subject, catchers, sellers and consumers, are unanimous 

 that such a law is needed, and we feel safe in saying that it will meet 

 with entire acceptance. 



The State of Ehode Island is at present the market for under-sized 

 lobsters from Massachusetts. They are sent here in barrels, the 

 catchers on the Massachusetts coast and dealers in Boston, knowing 

 that it would be unsafe to offer them for sale in Massachusetts, send 

 them to us and we get the full benefit of such poor and illegal supply. 

 The difference in length of lobsters makes a vast difference as to their 

 weight, as follows: 



Fifteen inches 4 pounds. 



Fourteen " 3| " 



Thirteen " , ^ " 



Twelve " 2J^ " \ especially good order, but 



Eleven " 1| -' 



Ten " li " 



In boiling they shrink about twenty per cent., on an average, and 

 the better their condition, the less the shrinkage. Poor condition 

 means, probably shedding, which is supposed to occur once a year. 



These weights are from 

 boiled lobsters, and not in 



selected for their weight 

 from a lar^e number. 



