THE AMERICAN LOBSTER. 
79 
THE SHEDDING OF THE SHELL IN THE LOBSTER. 
THE MOLTING PERIOD. 
The hard-shell lobster is heaviest, has the firmest flesh, is hardiest, standing 
transportation best, and therefore most valuable for the market. A large percentage 
of all lobsters taken during the fall and winter months are of this character, and all 
or nearly all lobsters caught in March, April, aud May belong also to this class. 
Shedders and soft-shell lobsters are taken in greater or less abundance from June to 
October, varying somewhat with the season aud locality and surrounding conditions, 
such as the nature of the sea bottom aud the temperature of the water. By far the 
greater number of lobsters in all seasons, and in all places, cast their shells during the 
months of July, August, and September. However, the time of shedding varies con- 
siderably on different parts of the coast, being from four to six weeks earlier in some 
seasons in western Maine than in the extreme eastern section. Shedders are not fit 
for the market, being lean and watery, and soft lobsters are in a similar condition and 
will not bear much handling or transportation. Until the shell becomes tolerably 
hard the soft lobster is in constant danger of attack from its companions, and is 
easily wounded and killed. Lobsters with very soft shells and those which have been 
mutilated are often kept in the lobster preserves or pounds until the shell is hardened 
or the injury repaired. 
No systematic data have hitherto been gathered at any point along our coast upon 
the molting habits of the lobster. I am therefore glad to be able to give the results of 
a series of daily observations made at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, during the space 
of seven months, from December 1 to June 30, 1894. During this interval 2,657 
lobsters were captured in traps set at fixed points in the harbor. As shown in table 
23, 1 there was no month in which either shedders or soft lobsters were not caught. 
Table 23 . — The molting of the lobster. 
Months. 
Tempera- 
ture of 
water in 
harbor. 
No. of 
clays for 
which 
average 
tempera- 
ture is 
given. 
Nature of 
bottom. 
Catch, 
Shell hard 
and bright. 
Shell hard 
and dull. 
Shell soft. 
Male. 
Fem. 
Total. 
Male. 
Fem. 
Male. 
Fem. 
Male. 
Fem. 
F. 
December . . . 
37. 71 
14 
Rocky 
123 
101 
224 
117 
101 
2 
0 
4 
0 
January 
35. 48 
27 
do 
250 
251 
501 
239 
250 
7 
0 
4 
i 
February 
32. 54 
24 
do 
116 
130 
246 
115 
130 
0 
0 
1 
0 
March 
37. 4(1 
27 
do 
161 
187 
348 
154 
186 
7 
0 
0 
1 
April 
42. 52 
25 
do 
247 
210 
457 
232 
206 
14 
4 
1 
0 
53. 65 
26 
197 
237 
4-34 
194 
236 
3 
June 
62. 20 
25 
do 
219 
228 
447 
185 
202 
0 
2 
34 
24 
Only one soft-shell lobster was taken in February out of a total catch of 246, and 
no “shedders” (shell hard aud dull) were captured during this month. Again, one 
soft-shell lobster only was observed in March and April, and none in May. In June, 
'Lobsters with shells “hard and dull” are nearing the molting period; those with “soft shells” 
have recently shed, and in those with “hard and bright” shells the molting time is most distant. 
See p. 82. 
