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THE CALIFORNIA AQUARIUM CAR OF EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR. 



S. E. Throckmorton, Esq., Chairman of California Fish Commission: 



Sir: I beg leave to report as follows: 



On the morning of tbe first day of April, eighteen hundred and sov- 

 enty-four, I received the following telegram: 



"San Francisco, March Slst, 1874. 

 "Livingston Stone: We want you to bring out another aquarium 

 car. 



"S. E. THEOCKMOETON." 



Acting on this intelligence I went to Boston that afternoon to begin 

 preparations for tbe trip in general, but particularly to inaugurate a 

 series of experiments in the transportation of Lobsters, it being very 

 difficult to keep them alive, away from the ocean, long enough to make 

 the overland trip. 



I obtained twelve live Lobsters, some sponges, and a barrel of ocean 

 "water, and, having made arrangements for future supplies, as occasion 

 might require, I returned to Charlestown, N. H. The points which were 

 brought out by these Lobster experiments, which I continued for several 

 weeks, are substantial!}^ as follows: 



First — Lobsters can be kept alive, away from the ocean, twelve days, 

 under the most favorable circumstances. 



Second — They will not stand exposure to the dry air, at all, whether 

 warm or cold. 



Third — They will not live in still sea water, whether warm or cold. 



[Note. — The motion of the tides is probably essential to their health 

 in their natural state.] 



Fourth — Fresh water kills them very soon. 



Fifth — Artificial sea water (salt dissolved jn fresh water) is not 

 nearly as favorable to life as the genuine article from the ocean. 



Sixth — The confinement of several together in one apartment is 

 injurious, as they will bite off each other's claws. 



Seventh — Eubber bands around the claws to prevent their biting 

 each other is unfavorable to life. 



Eighth — The best vray yet found for keeping Lobsters alive, in con- 

 finement, is to pack them in separate compartments in sponges wet with 

 ocean water. They should be kept as cold as possible, and the ocean 

 water should be renewed twice a day. 



A description of an experiment by Mr. F. W. Webber is appended. 



"On Wednesday, the fifteenth day of April, eighteen hundred and 

 seventy-four, thirteen live Lobsters arrived at the Cold Spring Trout 

 Ponds, Charlestown, N. H., and were divided into four lots as follows: 



"Three Lobsters were packed in a box among sponges wet with sea 

 water, and kept in a cold temperature with ice. Four Lobsters, having 

 rubber bands on their claws to prevent their injuring each other, were 

 packed in a similar manner, ancl kept without ice at a warmer tempera- 

 ture. Three Lobsters without bands on their claws were packed in the 

 same way, and kept at a similar temperature. Three Lobsters were 

 packed among sponges wet with a little artificial brine made from coarse 

 salt and spring water, and kept at a mild temperature. The boxes all 



