COMPOSITION OF LOBSTEES. 



81] 



gone in. Only when it is very hungry, as is especially the case later in summer, after the spawninj 

 season and casting of the shell is over, is it less cautious and more ready to enter the traps. 



"The Lobster is best and fattest in the spring and early summer, while later in the summe: 

 and autumn it becomes thin, in consequence of which the English will not take it during thos( 

 seasons." 



Composition op Lobstees. — According to a 'series of careful analyses by Professor W.O 

 Atwater, of Middletown, Connecticut, the composition of the flesh of Lobsters is as follows, th( 

 fignres given indicating the average results obtained from three specimens received from th( 

 coasts of Maine and Massachusetts: 



Proportions of edible portion and shell : Per cent. 



Total edible portion . 39.77 



Shell ..... ■ 57.47 



Loss in cleaning 2. 76 



Proportions of water and dry snbstance in edible portion : 



Water- _ 82.73 



Dry substance 17.27 



Chemical analysis calculated on dry substance : 



Nitrogen i . 12. 54 



Albuminoids (nitrogen X 6.25) 78.37 



Fat .._ 11. 43 



Crude ash , 10. 06 



Phosphorus (calculated as PjOe) 2. 24 



Sulphur (calculated as SOa) 2.47 



Chlorine , 3. 46 



Chemical analysis calculated on fresh substance in flesh : 



Water 82.73 



Nitrogen-. .i ..— 2. 17 



Albuminoids (nitrogen X 6.25) 13. ^t 



Fat .. — . ^ 1.97 



• Crude ash 1.74 



Phosphorus (calculated as PjOs) : . 39 



Sulphur (calculated as SO3) .43 



Chlorine. — ---- ,. — .: — . .59 



Nutritive value of the flesh of Lobsters comparedwithbeef as a standard andteckonedatlOO: 61. 97 



The chemical composition of the flesh of the European Lobster is stated by Mr. Fran! 

 Buckland to be as foUows: 



Flesh. 



Soft internal 

 matter. . 



Spaira. 



Nitrogenous matter 



Fatty matter. 



Mineral matter 



Non-nitrogenous matter and loss.. 

 Water 



Perceni. 

 19.170 

 1.170 

 1.823 

 1.219 

 76.618 



100.000 



Per cent. 



12.140 

 1.444 

 1.749 

 0.354 



84.313 



100.000 



Percent 



21.892 



8.234 



1.998 



4.893 



62.983 



In connection with this table, Mr. Buckland makes the following observations: 



"That phosphorus exists in large quantities in Lobsters may easily be proved, A Lobster ii 



hot weather, when it ceases to be fresh, assumes a highly phosphorescent appearance when seei 



in the dark, equal, if not superior, to that of a glow-worm or luminous Centipede. This ligh 



increases by friction . . . and this phosphorescent appearance is probably caused by th 



