New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28

.r,,g =. \ rarity The average size IS between TWO
and a half and three pounds. For that reason me
catch OF this thirty-pounder was all the more re-
markab.e. especially as the same schooner. the
Becker that brought Fitzsimmons the Second. also
brought another big fellow. who would probably
have attracted good deal OF attention had It not
been for the presence of another so much larger
TAss second lobster weighed nineteen pounds
II ANYBODY IL especially interested IN loosters
he had better lose no time in getting a copy OF a
work recently published by Professor Francis H.
Herrick OF Adelbert College o., Western Reserve
University who has devoted years 70 the study OF
the subject. and who modestly calls his book OF
some 300 pages a monograph
Few people have any conception OF the extent
10 which the lobster business has grown. 1t has
become so important that laws have been made 10
protect the supply. Ply these laws no lobster less
than ten inches erd a half can se marketed IN the
State Of NeW-York. Most Holsters brought 20 TINS
state come from Portland. Me. or from the British
maritime provinces. II IS estimated that as long
ago As 1857 g 10000 Holsters were caught in one
year and the same observers say that in some
Years as mary as 100000 Holsters are taken
on the North Atlantic coast.
The American lobster distributes himself over a
COMPARE lively limited portion OF the coast he mas
never been found further north than Henley HaF
Dor Labrador. nor further south than the COASTS
Of North Carolina. He is not found 70 any extent
on the Pacific coast although numerous consisn-
rnenrs Of him have been sent overland there by the
United States Fish Commission. strip OF the
Atlantic coast 300 miles in length and thirty 70
n miles In width about covers his habitat. So far
as is known he does not frequent waters more
than 100 fathoms deep and generally the depth IS
much less than that.
Professor Herrick has a high opinion OF the
lobster from many points OF view. He considers
him rather Intelligent. and declares that ne IRE
ouentlv plays 'possum in order 10 escape his
enemies His statistics 10 the fecundity OF the
fenale lobster are arkable. He declares that a
female lobster has been known TO lay $40
ergs Another interesting feature Of the lob
s-er's habits Is his custom OF working almost en-
t,-elv AZ night His habits without exception
nocturnal Wherever he goes he sticks 10 the
ho,,ono OF the sea which ne never voluntarily
leaves
American Holsters are better and Of finer quality
than those o: Great Britain. but they are not so
plentiful now as formerly Most OF the fishing
for them Is done in the fall and spring. The nsh-
ermen have custom Of separating large inclos-
nre of salt water. which they call pound" and
IN which they place their surplus catch for safe
leaning untu there comes demand from the mar
Le,s For the foreign trade the holsters killed
81 canned and in summer they are shipped in
mis- country alive and packed with Ice In barrels
The price OF Holsters IN the markets is somewhat
Influenced By the supply on hand Ia the large
rnur As The toothsome shefsh mas been rather
expensive in New-York recently. Last week me
price went up TO 20 cents pound, which Is high
rise "a q cents a pound. The average price New
Workers pay is about Is cents
aV,ay In the Aquarium. He must be much older
than Fitzslmmons the First Dr. Bean says. de
thinks Il safe 10 put MS age Al least az high a.
~ biggest on record. and when he dies the city
viii preserve his skeleton in acohol-also In toto