170 Thirty-fourth Annual Meeting. 
don’t give up. We have only followed along on the lines on 
which he started us. 
Mr. Titcomb: I would like to ask Dr. Gorham what per- 
centage of fry he thinks he gets by allowing the eggs to hatch 
naturally on the lobster, as compared with the percentage which 
he would hatch by the artificial method ? 
Dr. Gorham: It is a little dangerous to attempt to estimate 
the proportion that can be hatched by the artificial method. We 
have tried a number of times to get an accurate estimate of the 
number of eggs hatched when they have been removed from 
the lobster. As near as I can figure it, 71 per cent. would cover 
the actual number hatched by that method. 
We are sure, by experimenting, that the number of eggs 
hatched from the eggs while still on the lobster, provided the 
lobsters have been properly treated and not kept on ice till the 
eggs are killed, is something like 98 per cent. We can then rear 
approximately 50 per cent. of these fry to the fourth stage, 
where we are sure that a large number of them can care for 
themselves and grow into large lobsters. There can be no doubt 
of that. We have made a number of experiments in which we 
have counted the actual number of fry hatched from the eggs, 
and the actual number of fourth stage fry reared from those 
that have been hatched and with the apparatus as it stands at 
present, we know we can rear every time about 50 per cent. of 
the fry to the fourth stage, and we also know that with the 
same plant increased for the accommodation of a larger number 
of fry, without increasing the size of the house-boat itself, and 
without increasing the size of the engine, we can rear ten times 
that number of fry, without any doubt. And it seems to me that 
when we know the great possibility of these fourth stage fry 
living to reach the adult stage, and the great advantage that we 
have in planting fry of that age over planting fry that have been 
hatched directly from the eggs, there can be no question but 
what any efforts we can make to increase the number of these 
fourth stag fry that are planted, would be crowned with consid- 
erable success, and would certainly increase the number of lob- 
sters in the waters where these fry are planted. 
Mr. Titecomb: What would you do with 10,000 to 15,000 
