()1 
The proportion of berried hens to the total number of lobsters 
caught is for each month : — 
1899 . 
Beadnell ... 
April 1:11 
... May 1 : 9 ... 
June 1 : 2 
Sea Houses 
„ 1: 11 
... ,, 1 : 6 ... 
„ 1:5 
1900 . 
Beadnell ... 
April 1 : 21 
... May 1:7 ... 
June 1 : 4 
Sea Houses 
„ 1: 11 
1 • 7 
••• |) X . I 
The berried hen lobster occurs very frequently in the catches 
made, especially in June. It is therefore a hardship to return it, 
and it says all the more for the fishermen who do so not only 
during the months when it is compulsory, but at all times. 
Several lobsters were kept alive in the laboratory tanks during 
the summer. Two berried hens began hatching at the end of June, 
and the process continued for over a fortnight. One of these is still 
alive (November), and has not cast, nor come into berry. 
A soft lobster was brought in about the beginning of May, and 
was found dead on the morning of July 2nd. It was even then 
sott. This specimen was therefore going to take over two months 
at least to completely harden, but it is possible that it was 
abnormal. 
