BEBEDING HABITS. 809 



copulation takes place, the male Lobster placing its double male member into the outer genital 

 opening of the female; and the eggs are impregnated while they are yet in the ovary. This 

 pairing seems to take place from autumn to spring, or March and April, for it is highly probable 

 that the roe is emitted from the ovaries immediately after copulajtion has taken place, just as with 

 other crustaceans ; and the emitted roe is found during the entire winter. After impregnation, 

 the eggs are emitted from the outer genital openings of the female, which are found at the bases 

 of the third pair of feet, but do not fall into the water, as they are held in a hollow which is 

 formed by the bent tail, which, both' at the end and on the sides, has leaf-shaped fringes thai 

 inclose the space formed by the bending of the tail. Under this tail there is fastened a double 

 row of the so-called tail-feet, to which the eggs are strung by strong, slimy strings. The embryc 

 now begins to develope in these eggs, which are quite numerous, two to three thousand in out 

 female, according to the size, and occasionally as many as ten to twelve thousand. The formatior 

 of the embryo does not, however, seem to begin till^the temperature of the water has become 

 milder in spring, even if the pairing should have taken place in autumn or winter ; for, althougl 

 loose roe "is often found in winter, it is never seen in any degree developed into embryos. Thif 

 pairing and the development of the roe seem to take place at different times on different portioni 

 of the coast ; for the fishermen themselves, who have such an excellent opportunity of observing 

 them, are not agreed as to the a<}tual time. The development of the embryo seems to take a 

 least fourteen days from the time of commencement, and it can easily be observed till the younj 

 break the shells of the eggs and begin to lead an independent life. When the young Lobster comef 

 out of the egg it measures only a few lines in length, and does not at all resemble the old Lobster 

 but has a different structure. It does not leave the hollow under its mother's tail immediately aftei 

 being hatched, but lives there for some time, and later frequently returns to it. It is particularly 

 distinguished, by a less complete development of its feelers and tail-feet, and by the feet beinj 

 exceedingly small but furnished with long, brush-like branches, with which it swims vigorousb 

 on the surface of the water. After having spent some time in this state, it changes its skin severa 

 times and assumes the shape of its mother, when it goes to the bottom. Its life from this momen 

 till it reaches a size of five to six inches is entirely unknown ; for no young Lobsters have beei 

 caught, either by fishermen or scientists, the smallest having been found in the stomach of thi 

 torsk, so that it is probable that they spend this portion of their life at a greater depth, and liv 

 in a different manner and on other food than at a later period. There cannot, therefore, be an; 

 artificial hatching of Lobsters in the sense of artificial fish-hatching, but all that can be done i 

 to keep the Lobster imprisoned during the development of the eggs, and thus protect it from th 

 dangers which threaten it and its young. It is impossible to do anything for the tender young, a 

 they die very soon when confined. I see, however, that several persons in France, and Mr. vpi 

 Eris, in the lagoons of Triest, near Grado, have hatched several millions of young by keepini 

 Lobsters with ripe roe at the bottom 'of the sea in perforated boxes. 



" The greatest enemy of the Lobster, and one who sensibly diminishes its numbers, is man. Whei 

 swimming near the surface during its youth, with a number of other small crustaceans, it become 

 a welcome prey to the herring and the mackerel. As the grown Lobster keeps at no great deptl 

 and where large fish of prey are not commonly found, it is not much exposed to them, bu 

 occasionally, when lying near the surface, it is taken by large birds of prey. An interesting seen 

 may be witnessed near Bukkeno, north of Stavanger, where an Englishman has constructed 

 large pond, between some small islands, for keeping live Lobsters. Whenever the pond become 

 too full of Lobsters, so ttiat they do not find sufficient food, they leave the water and crawl abou 



