31 
numbers of the early part of the year. Towards the end of the 
summer, vide the Sea Houses figures, the diminution is to a large 
extent accounted for if the soft crabs be taken into consideration. 
It may therefore be concluded that the advent of casting affects the 
catches in the summer, and that the immense annual recuperation 
is also closely connected with this process. The large crowd of 
casters which appears in the autumn is rapidly reaching the hard 
condition from November to January, as has already been evident 
from the preceding section ; they include the majority at least of 
the females which were berried in the early part of the year, and 
also the crabs which at this period of ecdysis pass into the plus- 
gauge size. 
Lobstees. — With regard to lobsters the conditions are as 
opposite as they could be. In the first place, as has already been 
stated, the soft lobster does not come into the case at all. Secondly, 
as can be clearly seen in the upper portion of Chart III., there is a 
gradual rise in the numbers from about February or March to May, 
and this is succeeded by an equally gradual falling off in the catches 
until about August and September. At this latter period, the 
removal of the crab pots to deeper water by the fishermen who 
prosecute the winter fishing for crabs, practically excludes the 
catching of lobsters. In some cases, as has already been said, 
special pots are placed closer inshore to catch them alone, but the 
risk to the gear in such situations is very great, and frequently old 
pots of little value are used by those who attempt this winter fish- 
ing for lobsters. The catches are principally made by the regular 
crab and lobster fishermen in the spring and early summer, when 
the pots have been brought into the shore waters. 
Thirdly, a great quantity of small, and a large percentage of 
berried lobsters enter the crab pots. 
It is also to be noted that the captures of the fishermen measure 
the feeding activities of the species. The impulse of hunger is 
greatest during the hardening period, the pots at the end of the 
year contain large numbers of soft crabs, often as many as 20 or 30 
in a pot, and it diminishes in intensity as the crabs become hard, 
and especially at the approach of the next ecdysis. 
3.— PEOPORTIONAL NUMBERS OF SEXES.— Tables IX. 
and X. set forth the numbers of the hard crabs and lobsters which 
enter the crab pots, arranged according to sex. In both cases it is 
evident that the females are in excess of the males. 
