290 



CIVIC BIOLOCxY 



when tlie bottom habit is more strongly fixed. It is comparatively easy 

 to hatch lobster eggs, but if the fry are liberated as soon as hatched, 

 nothing is gained over natural hatching. For about thirty years ex- 

 periments have been in progress in this country to discover methods of 

 rearing lobster fry through the critical free-swimming stages to the 

 fourth, or bottom, stage. For years results were negligible, but at last, 



Fig. 134. Berried lobsters, taken from pound at Boothbay Harbor (Maine), 

 in course of transfer to wells of the steamer which is to convey them to the 



hatchery for stripping 



United States Bureau of Fisheries 



in 1910, by holding them in floating cars the Wickford station was 

 able to score a record of 8916 fourth-stage lobsterlings from a counted 

 lot of 10,000 newly hatched fry. The best European result at that date 

 w^as 6.6 per cent, beginning with 1500 in the second stage. 



By the end of its first year the young lobster has reached the length 

 of 21 inches, and not until its sixth year does it attain the respectable 

 market length of 10 inches. In the usual effort to save the lobster 

 industry and the species, laws have been passed l^y the states most 

 concerned; but these have not been effectual, on account of lack of 

 knowledge, and those of different states still conflict seriously. Study 



