SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 189 



lie lias devised " for the rearing of young lobsters up to 

 the fourth moult, at which time, as you are well aware, 

 the animals become pugnacious, their shells become hard, 

 and they adopt many of the peculiarities of habit of the 

 adult, and, moreover, they appear to be hardy and well 

 able to look out for themselves." Professor Bum pus goes 

 on to say — kk For convenience I have termed this stage 

 the ' Lobsterling ' stage, and I am inclined to think that 

 if we should succeed in raising even a small percentage 

 of the fry to this lobsterling stage before liberating them, 

 we might accomplish for the lobster fishery what the 

 release of ' fmgerlings ' has accomplished for the trout 

 fishery. Inasmuch as you are experimenting in the same 

 line, and since one of the most important, and at the 

 same time one of the most inviting problems of marine 

 biology to-day is the preservation of the lobster industry, 

 I take the liberty to tell you of our experiments during 

 the past year, and if you should have opportunity or 

 inclination to adopt similar methods, I should be very 

 glad to learn of your results." The further details which 

 are given have been sent to Mr. Andrew Scott for use in 

 his work at Piel. During last summer the disturbance 

 of work consequent upon the sale of the old steamer and 

 the purchase of the new one prevented any supply of 

 lobsters from reaching the hatchery until it was too late, 

 but during the coming season we hope to resume work 

 upon the hatching and rearing of this very important 

 economic animal. 



In concluding this general part of the Annual .Report 

 I desire to draw the Committee's attention once more to 

 the pressing need of a pond or some large open-air tanks 

 at Piel, both for the reception of spawning fish and also, 

 later in the season, for the purpose of rearing the fry 

 obtained by the hatching operations. The tanks would 



