230 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
what actually occurs, for many fishermen are known not to have returned the tags; a 
large number of tags are doubtless lost by the process of molting, and not a few of 
and during their journey to Woods Hole not a few perish. Moreover, at the station 
they are handled several times before they are finally stripped, tagged, recorded, and 
made ready for their liberation. 
But without attempting to make any estimate of the number that reached the 
market without leaving a completed record, and confining ourselves to the data derived 
from those that were recaptured, we find that of a total of 479 lobsters liberated, 76 
very soon found their way to market. It is therefore evident that, unless the supply 
of any one locality is replenished, either by immigration or by artificial propagation, 
the lobster will be exterminated; indeed elimination has actually occurred at certain 
localities, and there is every indication that before long an industry which has yielded 
many millions of dollars will have perished through the inexcusable abuses of our 
fishing privileges. 
Brown University, 
Figure of tag — exact size. 
the animals perish from rough treatment received during 
captivity. It should be remembered that when first cap- 
tured they are thrown from the pot into the boat, and 
from the boat into a car, where they may remain several 
days awaiting the arrival of a smack to convey them to 
the station. While in the car they suffer from their own 
belligerency, and when thrown into the well of the smack 
Providence , Rhode Island . 
