EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING. 21 
canners are obliged to confine their operations to four months 
of the year, while for the remaining eight months a limit of ten 
and one-half inches is required, and I think may be looked upon 
as a great step in advance of any law previously passed. 
This movement was made by the fishermen in the form of 
petitions to the legislature, numerously signed, and from one end 
of the state to the other. ; 
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut, each 
have laws practically corresponding to each other, while New 
York, without a law, which might so much assist in protecting 
the other States, only helps on illegal and wasteful practice. 
Mr. Biackrorp: | would like to hear the fish dealers’ opin- 
ion on protecting lobsters; they often buy small, cheap, and 
worthless lobsters because there are no others offered, and com- 
petition is so strong that they must supply their customers with 
something in shape of a lobster when they demand it. 
Mr. Jounson: A lobster, immediately after shedding its 
coat, increases in size fully 100 per cent., and if thrown back 
into the water for another season would double its size. 
Mr. S. B. MILLER : We would only ask Massachusetts not to 
send us small lobsters. 
Mr. Oscar Comstock: Asa dealer, I would approve of pro- 
tective laws for lobsters; that is, to forbid their being sold under 
a certain size. 
Mr. RoosEvELT : Asaconsumer I find that nine out of ten 
are worthless and light ; it is difficult to get lobsters of a decent 
size; the large ones have become very scarce. 
Mr. BLACKFORD moved that the lobster question be referred 
to the committee before appointed to suggest additions to the 
fish and game laws, which was carried. 
