97 
seasons, excepting the hatching one, this was found to he entirely 
siafectory, hut during the hatching season it was necessary as well 
determine whether the lobster was one which had recently 
tched. And this it is plain is a matter of considerable difficulty, 
,en every possible indication must be taken into account. As a 
xtter of fact, however, the difficulty was not found to be that of 
ntifving the stripped lobster, but of proving in a satisfactory 
,nner where the lobster had been caught as is required as the law 
present stands. 
II.— THE MIGRATIONS OF CRABS. 
The report for 1903 gave the results of the experiments which 
re made at my request by Mr. Douglas, Beadnell, and these 
>wed that the female crabs, which were in the process of becoming 
•d after a recent autumn ecdysis, migrated northwards. Two 
lales which were marked and liberated on October 25, 1902, were 
aptured the following year, cue on March '2Si.li. in Goswick Bay, 
•r 12 mile-; north of Beadnell, and the other on July fith, at Port- 
len, Kincardineshire, which is about HO miles north of Beadnell. 
It was determined to repeat the experiment, and to have the 
rking done as early in the casting season as possible, so that the 
-bs would be liberated at the beginning of the winter migration. 
3 following tables give the results of the experiments made at 
idnell, 1904-5, and at Beadnell and other places on the Northum- 
[and coast, in 1905-6. 
The Beadnell experiments of 1901-5 offer ample confirmation of 
northward migration of the females, which have "cast' - and have 
3ived their supplies of sperms for fertilising the ova at the next 
wiling season. All the females recovered (four\ were caught be- 
'en Bnrnmouth and Dunbar. The males on the other hand were 
obtained in the Beadnell district, and that they do not appear to 
^rate is shown by the example which was liberated on January C, 
->8, at Beadnell, and which was recaptured on January 13, 1900, 
' at Beadnell. 
The results of the 1905-6 experiments are still incomplete, and 
e of the crabs have so far been obtained at any great distance 
B the place of liberation. 
i! tbe above was written several females have been returned from different plaoee 
on the east coast of Scotland. 
