23 



had large cracks in them through which the water from the sponges 

 would easily run off, and thus prevented from becoming staguaulin the 

 bottom of the boxes. 



"Eesults: Of the three Lobsters kept in the artificial brine one was 

 found dead on Thursday morning, April sixteenth; one on Saturday 

 morning, April eighteenth; and one lived till Monday morning, April 

 twentieth. 



"Of the four kept at a mild temperature with the bands on their 

 claws, in sponges wet with sea water, one was found dead on Saturday 

 morning, April eighteenth; one on Saturday night, April eighteenth; 

 one on Sunday night, April nineteenth; and one on Monday morning, 

 April twentieth. 



" Of tlie three which were kept in the sponges wet with sea water at 

 a moderate temperature, without bands on their claws, two were found 

 dead on Tuesda}^' evening, April twenty-first, and one lived till the even- 

 ing of April twenty-sixth. 



" Of the three kept at a cold temperature, among the sponges moist- 

 ened with sea water, one died Monday morning, April twentieth; one 

 died Wednesday morning, April twenty second; and one died Thursday 

 morning. April twentj'-third. 



"In all the above experiments the water in the sponges was renewed 

 twice a day; ocean water being used throughout in the three first 

 experiments, and artificial brine in the last. 



"It will be observed that the Lobsters treated with artificial briue 

 began to die first. 



"Of those kept cold and treated with ocean water, one lived seven 

 days, and one eight days. Of those treated with ocean water, and kept 

 at a moderate temperature, without ice, one lived eleven days. 



" On the arrival of these Lobsters, some of the spawn was taken from 

 one and packed away in sponges wet with sea water, which wetting 

 was renewed every day. On Tuesday, April twenty-eighth, a fevv of 

 them were examined under a microscope, and the pulsations of the 

 blood could be distinctly seen in the region of the little filament which 

 connects the eggs." 



While these experiments were in progress, I made preparations in 

 various directions for securing several varieties of fresh-water fish. On 

 the tvvelfth of April I received a letter containing the following ex- 

 tract: 



" Bring especially Shad, Eels, Lobsters, Black Bass, and, perhaps, 

 Catfish. Bring Blue Fish and Striped Bass. No Perch, nor Trout. 



(Signed:) " S. K. THROCKMORTON." 



This was the first information I had received that salt-water fish were 

 wanted, and I hesitated at undertaking to carry them, for, as will be 

 easily seen, to combine salt water fish, e. g. Blue Fish, shell fish, e. g. 

 Lobsters, fresh-water fish that required waruT water, e. g. Shad, and 

 those that required cold water, e. g. Bass, was very much complicating 

 an enterprise which, even in its simplest form, was an exceedingly 

 di^cult and criticiil one. I concluded, however, to take the salt-water 

 fish (though somewhat against my better judgment), and immediately 

 went to IMew York to make arrangements for obtaining them alive. I 

 also put myself in communication with Professor Baird on the subject, 



