THE PROBLEM OF LOBSTER CULTURE. 
Experimental Work of the Rhode Island Commissioners of 
Inland Fisheries. 
BY A. D. MEAD, PROVIDENCE, R. I. 
Some years ago the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries of 
the State of Rhode Island began an investigation of the prob- 
lems connected with the growth, distribution, and abundance 
of lobsters, clams, and other shell and food fish of the state. 
For the last five years particular attention has been paid to 
the lobster, as the lobster fisheries of the state are exceedingly 
important and at the same time so extensive as to threaten the 
total extermination of this delectable food animal. 
At the suggestion of Dr. H. C. Bumpus, then one of the 
members of the Rhode Island Commission, an attempt was 
made, partly in collaboration of the United States Bureau of 
Fisheries, to rear lobster fry in sufficient numbers to preserve, 
or if possible to increase, the supply of lobsters. 
For a long time the hatching of lobsters has been carried 
on artificially by the United States Bureau of Fisheries, but at- 
temps to rear the fry to a size where they can protect them- 
selves and stand some chance of surviving when put overboard. 
have repeatedly been considered by fish-culturists and_ biolo- 
gists, but appeared to present insurmountable difficulties, as all 
attempts to retain the fry for any length of time in the hatch- 
ery proved futile, the mortality being exceedingly rapid. 
It hardly seems as if the mere hatching of the eggs would 
at all increase the number of lobsters, in fact it almost seems as 
if it would be better to allow them to hatch naturally. The eggs 
have few enemies, are well protected when attached to the under- 
side of the female lobster, and have every chance of hatching 
into fry. But the early stages of the fry are unprotected, they 
swim at the surface and are eagerly sought after by nearly every 
fish that swims. The real problem of lobster culture is to pro- 
tect these early fry, to rear them to a stage where they seek the 
bottom, and hide under stones and weeds, and burrow in the 
gravel, where they are protected from their enemies and stand 
156 
