224 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



(4) That the capture of berried lobsters be prohibited at all times. Though a law 

 of this kind is sure to be more or less evaded, it is not expedient to encourage the 

 destruction of eggs under any circumstances. 



A series of experiments should be tried in raising the young in spacious inclosures, 

 where crowding in vertical and horizontal limits could be avoided, and where a natural 

 supply of food could be provided, the object being to determine whether it is practi 

 cable to raise the young up to the fifth and sixth stages, when they go to the bottom 

 and are able to protect themselves. If then set free, the chances of survival would be 

 many hundred times greater than in the first stages. If we could save 100 instead of 

 2 out of every 10,000 hatched, every 1,000,000 would give us 10,000 adults, and 

 every 1,000,000,000 would yield 10,000,000 lobsters capable of reproduction. In such 

 attempts to rear the lobster there are serious obstacles to be overcome in isolating the 

 young, and giving them an abundant supply of pure water which shall at the same 

 time yield the proper food, but we can not enter into the discussion of these subjects 

 in this paper. 



The close period referred to above should begin about June 20, and extend five 

 years and two months from that time to August 20. To illustrate it, we will say that 

 it begins June 20, 1900, and extends to August 20, 1905. During this period 6 sets 

 of lobsters would spawn; 2 of these sets .would spawn three times, 2 sets would 

 spawn twice, and 2 once. Thus the set spawning in 1900 would lay eggs again in 

 1902, and again in 1904, and so on. Furthermore, the survivors of the broods of 1900 

 and 1901 would be mature, or nearly so, at the end of this period in 1905. 



CLEVELAND, OHIO. 



