While the catch increased up to 1889 and then decreased until in 1898 it was lower than in 1880, the number of fisherman and pots and the value of the catch steadily increased. The average stock per man fluctuated somewhat from year to year, but in 1898 shows a considerable increase over every other year. The most interesting point however, is the average price per pound. In 1880 this was 1.9 cents, while in 1898 it was 8.9 cents per pound. With one exception, each year shows a progressive increase in value per pound. The great increase of 1898 over 1892, 5.1 cents per pound, was caused by the closing up of the canneries in 1895, and the consequent dropping out of the cheap product they had been buying from the fishermen. WEIGHT OF LOBSTERS. The figures given below show the average weight of lobsters at certain given lengths. These weights are made up from the results obtained by investigators of the United States Fish Commission, particularly those of Prof. Francis H. Herrick. Males in nearly every instance weigh slightly more than females of the same length. Weight Length in pounds. ------ --------- 9 inches 1.16 l0 inches 1.50 10-1/2 inches 1.75 11 inches 2 12 inches 2.50 13 inches 2.75 15 inches 4.25 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF LOBSTERS. The nutritive value of a fishery product is of considerable interest to the consumer. Some years ago, Prof. W. O. Atwater, of Middletown, Connecticut, made a series of careful analyses of the composition of the flesh of three lobsters from the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, and the figures given below represent the results: Per cent. --------- Proportions of edible portion and shell: Total edible portion 39.77 Shell 57.47 Loss in cleaning 2.76 Proportions of water and dry substance in edible portion: Water 82.73 Dry substance 17.27 Chemical analysis calculated on dry substance: Nitrogen 12.54 Albuminoids (nitrogen x 6.25) 78.37 Fat 11.43 Crude ash 10.06 Phosphorus (calculated as P2 O6) 2.24 Sulfur (calculated as SO3) 2.47 Chlorine 3.46 Chemical analysis calculated on fresh substance in flesh: