200 'riilrlti-sirlli Annudl Mectiiuj 



any quest ions 1 iniglit. I liave covered the subject, I realize, 

 very unsatisfactorily. We have discussed it at gi'eater length in 

 a pamphlet, which I would be glad to furnish to anyone who 

 cares for it. 



I thank you. (Great applause.) 



DISCUSSIOX. 



Professor Mead : I would like to ask Dr. Field one question 

 about the curve. The curve, as I understand, is made u]) of the 

 number of the egg lobsters. 



Mr. Field: Yes. 



Professor Mead: Does it show what the proi)ortion of egg 

 lobsters, to all lobsters is, at any particular period of life?- 



Mr. Field : jSTo, it is made in this way : For example, we 

 found 1749 lobsters of a size between 11 and 12 inches. 



Professor Mead: How many lobsters are tliere in all in 

 that period ? 



Mr. Field : These are all egg lobsters, every one. 



Professor Mead : How man}' lobsters are there of that same 

 length that are not egg lobsters? Does the curve in your dia- 

 gram show the proportion of egg lobsters to all the lobsters ? 



!Mr. Field : Xo, not at all. The only figures we have on that 

 arc tliose which I quoted, in which we found that at the present 

 time, tliere was one egg loljster to every 52 in the Massachusetts 

 catch ; but we know nothing about the relative size of the other 

 individuals. We do know that there is one egg lobster to every 

 52, above lOi/o inches, that is as near as we can get to it from the 

 figures in our jjossession. 



Professor Mead: I had supjiosed that curve indicated why 

 you picked out that ])articular ])cri()d — because of the greater 

 fecundity of lobstei's. 



:\rr. Field : Xo. 



Professor Mead: A\'hy wouldn't i( be a good plan if you are 

 going to take a curve and i)i(k out the lOl-.' to 11 inch period, 

 to take out tliosc bii:" lobsicrs. which do not lav anv e^gs. 



