188 EXFERIMENTAIi LOBSTER-HATOHERT. 



passing steamers, — which greatly added to the success of the 

 experiment. 



After the hatchery had been allowed to remain a short time 

 in the water, a nearly ripe-berried lobster was obtained and 

 placed in one of the inner cages of the hatchery, and fed with a 

 piece of whiting. The next morning I was gratified to find about 

 a score of lobster-larvae swimming vigorously inside the hatchery. 

 During the next few days these larvee greatly increased in 

 numbers; but it was not till after five days had passed that all 

 the berries were hatched. 



It has long been known to zoologists that the young of the 

 fresh-water crayfish hold on to the fine hairs which abound on 

 the swimmerets of the female, almost directly they are hatched ; 

 and that they probably remain so attached till after the first 

 moult or ecdysis. The young of the lobster are, however, 

 unable so to attach themselves, their claws or chelse not being 

 adapted for the purpose. 



Prof. Bell,'*' on the authority of Mr, Peach, makes the 

 following statement; — " I have heard the fishermen of Gorran- 

 Haven say that they have seen in the summer, frequently, the 

 old lobsters with their young ones round them; some of the 

 young have been noticed as six inches long. One man observed 

 the old lobster with her head peeping from under a rock, the 

 young ones playing around her : she appeared to rattle her 

 claws on the approach of the fisherman, and herself and young 

 took shelter under the rock ; this rattling, no doubt, was to give 

 the alarm." 



As this statement has been frequently quoted by many recent 

 authorities, I was very anxious to make some experiments with 

 my larvse, to see if I could confirm it in any way. 



According to my observations I found that during the first 

 five days of their free existence these larvse, although there was a 

 current of water continually passing through the hatchery, had 

 a decided tendency to remain in the immediate neighbourhood of 

 their mother ; but never attempted to take refuge beneath their 

 parent, or shewed the least alarm when I tried to frighten them. 

 This I attempted by splashing the water, knocking stones 



