REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Cl 
of the U. S. Fish Commission. The fact that a large crustacean 
called the spiny lobster or salt-water crayfish ( Panulirus ) occurs to the 
south of Point Conception is not an argument against the introduction 
of the genuine lobster. A closely related u crayfish ” inhabits the south 
Atlantic and Gulf coasts, aud another species the southern part of 
Europe, both of these being highly esteemed as food, but not interfering 
to any extent with the fishery for the true lobster (Homarus). On the 
first shipment the train was totally wrecked soon after crossing the 
Mississippi River. A second trial was made in 1874, and a third in 
1879, only four lobsters reaching San Francisco alive on the former and 
twenty-one on the latter. Realizing that the planting of such small 
lots could have no appreciable effect in the stocking of a new region, 
experiments were made at Wood’s Holl in the spring of 1886, by the 
late Capt. H. C. Chester, with the view of determining some more 
economical and reliable method of transportation. His efforts were 
directed chiefly toward the preservation of lobsters by packing them in 
moist sea weed and reducing the temperature of their surroundings. 
They were entirely satisfactory, specimens . being kept in good condi- 
tion for several weeks, with the use of only a very small amount of sea 
water, and, while not strictly imitated in the subsequent shipments, 
they suggested the methods that were pursued. 
As this division of the Fish Commission was called upon to assist in 
the preparation of these shipments, a brief reference to them may be 
made in this connection. They have, however, been fully described in 
the Bulletin for 1888, pp. 453-472. The lobsters were collected in the 
Vineyard Sound region, and after being loosely packed in rock weed 
in small wooden crates, were stored in the large compartments of one 
of the Fish Commission cars, in which the temperature was reduced by 
means of ice and salt. At least twice each day the specimens were 
freshened by sprinkling them with salt water, of which a stock was 
carried for. that purpose. The first trip was made between June 16 and 
23, 1888, beginning with 610 lobsters, of which 250 were males aud 360 
females. The second trip took place between January 14 and 22, 1889, 
starting with 710 lobsters, 279 being males and 431 females. Some of 
the females in both lots were also provided with eggs. A comparison 
of the difficulties encountered on these two trips is interesting. The 
first was made during a period of very warm weather, and the mortality 
from that cause was very great, despite the free use of ice. The second 
was, therefore, arranged to obviate that trouble, but unfortunately the 
temperature during the journey fell at times considerably below zero, 
and it became necessary to resort to artificial heat to prevent the abso- 
lute freezing of the lobsters, but nevertheless the mortality was even 
greater than before. As a result of the first trip, 302 lobsters were 
planted in Monterey Bay and vicinity, and 30 off Trinidad light house 
in northern California, besides about 100,000 embryos deposited off 
Monterey. On the second trip 88 individuals were planted off Cape 
