156 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Usually the first larvae to appear in the spring are those of Crago septemspinosus, 
but the spring of 1922 was unusually cold and for that reason none occurred during 
April. On April 21 several adult females bearing eggs were taken at the surface. 
Tliis is characteristic of the species. In Narragansett Bay, on May 7, 1922, great 
niunbers of adult females bearing eggs, as well as a few young, were taken in surface 
collections on a bright sunny day. Bumpus found young forms appearing in March 
at Woods Hole, while Thompson observed them as late as September 19. The first 
young were seen on February 1 in 1900. After this none were taken until April 3, 
From that day on they were abundant, declining in July and August. On October 
17 the last specimen was taken. In 1922 the first of this species was noted on May 
15, and great numbers were taken throughout July and early August. During the 
latter month there was a rapid decline, and none were taken from August 27 imtil 
October 29. On this date four specimens appeared. Scattered individuals were 
found in almost every haul until December 13, when a single Crago, 10 mm. long, 
occurred. In 1923 the first larvee appeared on May 9 and the last, a specimen 6 mm. 
long, was taken on December 13. The maximum was reached early in July. All 
Crago aeptemsplnosos 
Palaemonetes Tolgarls 
Hippolyte sostericola 
Homams aoerloairas 
Upogebia af finis 
Calllaaassa stlnpsoni 
Katishcmla orangoaoides 
Baerlta talpolda 
Bt^jaguruB sp. 
Fig. 56. — Occurrence of larval Macrura in surface coUections of 1923 
available records indicate that the normal season starts early in April, reaches its 
maximum in June or July, and usually ends in November. 
Palsemonetes vulgaris appears usually much later than Crago (figs. 55 and 56). 
Bmnpus found females with early eggs on June 20. Throughout July and August 
the larv£e are very abundant, but all breeding ceases by September, according to 
Thompson. In 1899 larval Palsemonetes appeared suddenly in great numbers in 
the tow of June 15. Scattered specimens had been taken for a few days previous. 
From June until September 18 young in all stages of development were very abund- 
ant. From this date they declined rapidly and had practically disappeared by 
September 28, few specimens occurring after this. A single postlarval individual 
was taken on October 31. The first larvae appeared on June 25, 1922. A gradual 
increase continued until the middle of July, when the maximum abundance was 
reached, followed by a gradual decline through August and September, late stages 
being taken throughout the month of October. The early larvae are rarely found 
after the middle of September, however. In 1923 the first specimen was taken on 
July 16; the last on August 22. 
