162 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
thirty years’ experience about Heligoland, had obtained only three lobsters from 3 to 
5 cm. long. ( 61 , p. 285.) 
It is evident that the long larval period of the lobster is an important means of 
securing a transport from the shore and wide distribution up and down the coast by 
means of the tides and ocean currents. As I shall point out in another place, this 
transportation is of the utmost importance to the larvae, since it is in the bays and 
landlocked channels, where the competition among surface-feeding animals is keenest 
and destruction of life by animate and inanimate foes by far the greatest. 
In consequence of the facts just mentioned, it must often happen that the young 
lobster settles to the bottom in depths much exceeding 100 fathoms. What does the 
little animal do on reaching its new abode? It probably begins to travel toward the 
shore, slowly at first but more rapidly when, in the course of six or eight weeks, it has 
become 1 \ to 1 4 inches long. Meantime it hides in the crevices of the rocks or conceals 
itself under stones whenever danger approaches. Having reached the shore, it estab- 
lishes itself in shallow water at the mouth of some estuary or river on the rocky sides 
of a bay. It lives under stones, or in stone piles, the tops of which are sometimes left 
bare at extremely low tides. It can then be found by turning over stones in much 
exposed situations, often where the water is not over 1 or 2 inches deep, but where 
at the flood there may be from 3 to 5 feet of water or even more. Sometimes several 
small lobsters are seen lying under one rock at the same time. While the lobster 
is very small, 1{- to 24 inches long, it crawls down deep into the piles of loose stones 
where no enemy can reach it. After attaining a greater length — of 3 or 4 inches — the 
young lobster begins to leave the rock piles and digs for itself a little cave under a 
stone. From this protection it stealthily crawls forth in search of its prey, and quickly 
returns when an enemy appears. It may take up its abode in the winding chamber of 
a deserted conch shell, or in any hole or niche which promises temporary security. 
As the lobster increases in size it grows bolder and retires farther from the shore, 
although it never loses its instinct for digging and never abandons the usual habit of 
concealing itself under stones when the necessity arises. 
Little is known about the habits of young lobsters in winter, but it is evident 
that they nfust leave the rock piles as soon as ice begins to form, perhaps as early as 
December in eastern Maine, and move out, as the adults do, into deeper water. The 
casting up of young lobsters on the beach at Woods Hole, in the latter part of January 
(seep. 165), proves that they sometimes remain in shallow water even at this season. 
The colors of the young lobsters at the time they are from 1J to 2 inches or some- 
what more in length are very different from those of the adult. This may be seen by 
comparing figures 39 and 22, which represent, respectively, a young male 1.8 inches 
long (see No. 22, table 33) and an adult male 10 inches in length. In the young 
lobster the general cast of color is a russet or light reddish-brown, which is most pro- 
nounced on the sides of the body and under surface of the large claws. The borders 
of the carapace and segments of the body and legs are tinged with light Prussian blue. 
The upper parts of the body and appendages, especially the first pair of clielipeds, are 
spattered and marbled with a dull-bluish pigment. The terga of the abdomen have 
often a fine edging of dull bluish-black. 
I am fortunate in being able to present a series of plates to illustrate the adoles- 
cent as well as the adult stages of the lobster. The original photographs' are in many 
cases so perfect that with the aid of a hand lens the finest details in the sculpturing 
1 These were made by the Edmondson Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
