New-York tribune., 1874-08-18
THE LOBSTER.
by PROF. W. W. wHEuDON.


Nh WheildOn remarked that in view of the
fact that the lobster fishery had become an object Of leg
sIaon in several of the States, IL desirable that its
history aud habits shOald De better Known lie referred
10 The first mention OF Holsters IN the accounts OF the
Plymouth Colony early as Sept 8. lG2l aud OF their
mention IN the carly histories OF Wood, Hggluson ana
Dihere lie next spoke OF extent OF the fishery at
The present time havuG grown up from 100000 for the
non, ntsl1es IN vi. H. i ~ ne haat OF The Ion
sterand of the continued supply, standg the ex-
haustiVe demand made upon them. lie next discussed
fhe questions of fertility ard spawning. cOntentn-
that there was regular spawning season, aud that
spawn could be Obtained IN every month IN The year
Ivrirg INC present wear spawn was very abundant in
January aud February IN various sdCts OF development
heretofore been cODtended thai Holsters spawned
Annually I'm tne summer months; but this belief among
the fishermen has been gradually gwen up Ii Is
pretty certain tht ON account of the very Tree use o
younr HOLSTERS bv numerous kinds fish, only a small
perccutagc OF the spawn reach marketable size. He
sad there no certainty that Holsters do spawn
annually, or That some OF them may not spawn more
Il h4s been said that the food Of the lobster
weed, nth ana gaTsISe IL Is very doubtful u they
eat seaweed and. they I've generally in deep water,
they not likely to nnd much which would properly
be HCuded III tHc terius used I1G youn ~ Is mo"
1--WE upon No:y minute animals, ana the fugrOwn i0D-
stor feed on nusscls clans, and other shellhsh The
,ouug have been known 10 eat each other and pos
Ibe something OF this habit continues In the adut lob
,ter The very ycUug lobster seems to be FISH without
shell aud having hn@ and tail Ike common hsh ana
swims altogether al or near the surface or the water
They grow yery rapidly. and undoubtedly ataln the
character OF the lobster IN the ilst season
Formerly market lGbsteTs averaged four pounds ;
time ndruiy more tltu TWO puunuS Lou
es believed have been taken OF rs ana 80 pounds
weight, ana there Is legend OF one which weighed AZ
pcunds that the szs TO which they may grow alto
RetaeT uncertain.
of the most interesting pecullarites OF the lob
that OF shedding its shell, in with other
crustacea The statement j. made .aDi generally be-
eyed that the lobster sheds It's she'll after reaching
c6Italn annually and some fishermen so far as
determine the months OF the when this change
Of shell There nsurmOuntabe objections
this statement but the sOltsheed Holsters have
been generally thrown back into the water, oDserVa-
tlon has been somewhat limited. We believe we
NAV cav that Holsters wDick have recently shed
their 70 be fOahd IN the Spring Summer
Inonths alone but at ali OF the year lubse
thai he found sofheled lsOsters In his last fare
recently At the time OF shedding the shell
me ANIMALS are much reduced ~ DeSh, but less than
~ generally supposed The smell OF the lobster IS
Al frst mere skin which has been formed under the
sbeI and resembles very thin India rubber cl0th IKE
The shell IL becomes red when boiled, LoDsters II has
been SAID sometimes make their escape by slipping out
have The power OF throwing OF claw IN case OF
necessity but this Is never done at the tOiDt out by
breaking the shell at particular point IN the sindIl
part OF the claw Some recent measurements WITHIN a
Sew dave show the growth OF the lobster In
e lobster was inch aud half longer than the shell
tu,t left and the measurement around the BODY
ira eourths OF inch longer than the shell. Tue
upon that, aDd OF course can hardly be
eidereO as an annual VI e'en pcii0u0 @neDsc "iluOu
qualification
The nrOetss OF shedding the shell 10 generally known
that relating 10 the large claws The
80 In straight line In the length OF the back
rils fhe tail lee. and claws are drawn out from the
she leaving IL entire AZ has been called, an "aTsou