New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-04
FROM EGG TO SALAD.
WR. FRED MArHER DESCRIBES HOW LOB
STERS GROW,

pAIcHING THE ToorHsoME cRUsTACgANs
wooD's hoL', Mass. June 29.-Few objects are
more common In the markets than the lobster, and
there are few animals of hose life history little
il known. The popular works on natural history
give very meaere accounts Of the breed
ing habits Of the lobster, and of its
embryology. During the latter part of last winter
Professor :. f. Baird, Commissioner Of Fisheries OF
the United States. caused some experiments to DO
made at the marine Matching station at this place,
which have been very successful conducted by
Captain H. c. Chester. the fish culturist attached
TO this station The writer. who is perfectly fami-
lar with the animal IN question as it appears upon
the market slabs, alive in its coat OF olive green,
it's scarlet dress when boiled or its pink and white
flesh when made INTO the toothsome salad was
surprised TO earu on visiting Woods Holl that
the lobster was such an interesting creature FROM
Captain Chester and Professor T. j. RYDER, who
has spent the winter at the station studying the
embrvology of this crustacean, a great deal was
learned concerning the principal ingredient OF 100
sier salad. aud bow its youthful days are passed
That the Holsters spawn in the fall and winter
months is certain and il is equally certain that
few are found with eggs late in the spring and sum
mer. and II may be possible that certain individuals
cast their spawn at all times of the year. The
female carries the eggs upon the appendices be-
meath the abdomen OF tail it popularity called.
where they are attached TO the swimmerets,
and are there retained until Matched. a
process which occupies four five months
during the winter, and may perhaps be
accomplished in much less time IN spring or sum-
mer when the waters warmer. The eggs when
first laid are quite small and very dark, but IN
crease in size as the embryo grows and become more
TRANSPARENT. that the fish culurIst can estimate
the extent of the development by the appearance
If he w hat
are laid between August and November, although
they may be carried by the female through those
months During the time in which The oya are form
ing in tie female lobster, there Is a peculiar
bright red subSta &C found in the abdo men, which
is known to epicares as the coral. because of its
resembance III color to that product. This SUD
stance sthc undevel op d ovary and later wonld
assume a gfsnulatcd form. before its subdivision
Into eggs
At this place is most interesting sight to see
the different jars containing Holsters IN the egg
AID others IN different stages of development A
young lobster looks as unlike its parent as
can well be imagined. 1t has not the
LARGE claws developed, and straight sharp
s,ke projects FIR IN the forehead between the two
large round ewes which look out from above. lis
legs seem covered with hairs and its joned abdo-
men with SPIKES The eud of rs tail is deeply con
cave and tine larval lobster would he taken for al
most any hing but what it is. When hatcbel It Is
ahont oncthr of an inch in length. and takes food
as IT OUT of the egg There Is no possible
way III which lobster can gro without casting
its skin, moulting, for it Is incaS"d
IN armor as completely as those crusaders
who vowed when their armor was
nveed upon them never to have it taken off until
the sepnlchre rescued from the han Is of The
niGel. Tins is the case with al crustaceanS that
cast their shell aud grow rapidly with m few
honrs thai 1t seems Incredible that they could ever
have been contained IN it and during this period.
when they are soft aud liable 10 become prev TO
others Of their kind. or to fishes, theg hide away
under stones or other places of cOnc"a ment
and wait until the new sNn hardcns.
IL is ar such time that the common
blue crab becomes the soft crab winch j. too h
some. and Is eaten entire minus the glis and sand
bag or stonacn.
changes OF uOnlts before IT is complete. At hatch
ing II Is, stated above Oue-thlrd OF an Inch IN
length; after The second mouit 1t Will measure
nearly Ouc-haf nch and after the thrl moult
IT vii be fully fve-elghth, of al inch III length.
and will ben be lobster IN the ful meaning .,
that word, with all the abdominal swimmcrcis auo
armed and equipped AS the law directs.
curious thing about them is that dnIIpe
moui,ing the adult is sluggish aud hides away
While il Is soft but the young he ore The tin ri
mOult IS active, aud swiIns continually up 10 Tie
zine of ITS third moult. after winch II settles down
70 steady habits.
none tbal had passed through the third mouit. hut
MI were feeding. ArWood's lioll thew fed upon
the meat of crabs. The rst mOult occurs AT Inc
OF from four to five DAYS The second is not so wen
defined III point of time. and probably re-
quires twice that time and is depeudent. as
III the of adults, upon food and
condition. The third monlt, winch comp eres the
structure o. the animal, requires fully three weeks
The YOU e are attracted by hight 10 the aquarla
aud up against the glass toward 1T. but settle
down Lear tie bottom at night, and are much gwen
70 eating any of their fellows which are IN The solt
state.
ho eggs obtained at Woods Iloll were from
HOLSTERS which had spawned naturay, and were
winch they were scral ed of with a dull knife. Pro-
fes>Or Ryder has found many ntestlng facts con-
cerning the development OF the embryo lobster
winch VIII he of great interest to uaturdlists, but
which the general pubic, who are more Interested
Ill salads than III embiyoloGy, VIII not take so much
Interest in White strongly suspect the Professor
of caring more about the development of the el'On
and The thOracic legs than about the salads. am
aware that the majority OF persons would pre-
fer the Sod meat OF thu GecapOd cTuS;acean, VIII!
its cOncontant of ietuCe. oll, mustard and viue-
gar. to any amount OF know ledge concerning It's de-
velOplnent.
Captain Chester has made an interesting expo H.
menI which he has succeeded in transporting llve
Holsters with their eggs zinc box was IncIOsed
IN a wooden one. ana between the two quantity
OF Ice was packed the Holsters were laid inside OF
the zinc box and packed IN seaweed and a drain
ran from them q the bottom. 1t was proved by
this that the eggs not hurt b, keeping them
Oh the adult female lobster for fifteen DAYS, duru
which ume tne water chambers of the lot sters
which surround their gllls were full. which SHOWS
that ali that necessary for the successful trans
Portat'on of Holsters with their eggs attached Is
dampnes> and low temperature.
Al the request OF Mr. l.. u. B,ackfOrd, Commls-
siODer oil fisheries for the STATE of Ncw-YOrk. the
writer visited Woods tiOl to inspect he process o
hatching loOsiers and secured 1000 young ones
which were taken To and liberated at Cold spring
HaTbur al Long Island, from the Stale FISH hatch
cry. They had then passed the second mOulG d
had been kept IN aquarla for several days unit
each Individual which had cast his she'll for III,
thud moult was dovoured before morning by hi
keeping these
cTustaceaDs III such close quarters only one nigh
be left, like the old sailor who
he cook
And the captain bold
And the mate OF the Nancy brig;
The boatswain tight,
And the mdsbipmite,
Aid the crew OF the captains gig"