NATURAL HISTORY OF AMERICAN LOBSTER. 383 



when the 9-inch law went into effect ; and this might be followed by a temporary strin- 

 gency. No one can speak with positive assurance upon this subject, but the important 

 point to bear in mind is that under such an arrangement we would have a perpetually 

 protected class constantly growing and at work all the time. 



Again, it may be asked. Will enough lobsters survive to enter the exempt class? 

 We believe that there would, and that the answer to this question is to be found in the 

 records of catches for every locality where lobsters are now trapped. Even in places 

 where the average size is small, larger lobsters occasionally appear, and in sizes showing 

 more than one year's growth. Why were not all such animals weeded out the previous 

 year? Instead of waiting to be caught up in the end, these "escapes" would all enter 

 the protected growing class, to enjoy a green old age of 50 years and possibly more, 

 though we have no positive knowledge of the life span in this interesting race. 



The trouble of a double gauge, such expense as would be needed in adjusting traps 

 to admit and hold lobsters of the legal size, would have to be met, but it would be well 

 worth while. In our opinion, the markets would not be seriously disturbed. Protect 

 the big egg producers and nature will preserve the race. 



Without doubt there are many who would consider any legal measure involving a 

 double gauge impracticable because of the difficulty of carrying it out, for to be effective 

 it must be uniformly adopted and enforced. If the present laws are to be maintained 

 in principle, the following steps should be taken : 



(i) Raise the legal gauge to io)4 inches wherever it now stands below this limit. 



(2) License every lobster fisherman, and adopt a standard trap, with slats of suf- 

 ficient distance apart to permit the undersized lobsters to escape. 



(3) Destroy the present enormously destructive interstate commerce in short lobsters. 



(4) Do not turn another larval lobster into the sea, but devote the energy expended 

 in lobster hatcheries to rearing these young to the bottom-seeking stage after the methods 

 now successfully practiced at Wickford, R. I. 



