p. 191-194, [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 24 cm

Whitfield, Robert Parr, 1828-1910.

American Museum of Natural History Scientific Publications

Article XV.-NOTICE OF TWO VERY LARGE LOB-STERS IN THE COLLECTION OF 'T'HE AMERI-CAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.By R. P. WHITFIELD.PLATE IX.The Museum received two unusually large specimens of thecommon marine Lobster, Homarus americanus DeKay, dutring thespring of I897, both of which were captured off Atlantic High-lands, N. J., by fishermen engaged in that business, and within ashort time of each other.The two individuals, although of exceptionally large size, varybut little in their dimensions. The weight of the larger one,while living, was about 34 pounds, and of the smaller one about31 pounds.The smaller one came into possession of Mr. Alfred Cabasstid,who at the time had a restaurant in Lower Broadway, and whopresented it to the Museui ; the larger one was exhibited at theCastle Garden Aquarium-i for a time, but neither survived morethan a few days, and afterward both were prepared and mountedfor permanent preservation.The unusual size of these specimens has been thought worthyof notice, and a series of measurements has been made of themand given below, one while in a fresh state, the other, after dryingand mounting, during which process considerable shrinkage tookplace.Lobsters, like all Crustaceans, are subject to many abnor-malities and accidents during growth and in moulting, and inconsequence specimens are often found with abnormally de-veloped parts. One example in the Museum collection showsa double right-hand claw, while all other parts are normally de-veloped. These two large indivi-ehals, althouglh of such unusualsize, appear to be quite normal in all parts, being simply over-grown.The first set of the following measurements was made by Dr. E.0. Hovey, of the Muiseum, fromn the specimens after mouinting,and shows the differences between the two individuals. TIhe[191]192 Bci/lelim A4lierican fAseuin of NaturaIHistory. [Vol. X I,other set was made from the larger one, while still fresh, but justafter death, by J. B. Briggs, Jr., of the New York University,class of '98, under the direction of Prof. C. L. Bristol. Thefirst set was made in millimetres, while that of Mr. Briggs wasmade iii inches anid has been reduced to millimetres.No. i. No. 2.MM. MM.Length of carapace, including rostrum, along median line....... 257 280Circumference of carapace behind second pair of legs ......... 268 486Length of ab.domnen to point of telson ........................ 300 3riBreadth of tail ............................................. 230 223Large chelate limbs: right side, length of first two joinlts .. i6o I65third joint.. I20 122fourth joint .. 360 365thumb .......... ... 145 201circumference of third joint.. 236 248"" " fourth ". .442442 348length of whole limb .. 570 6ioleft side, length of first two joints ........... 171 I83tlhird joint .. I18 124fourth joint .. 360 375thum I.. 98 155whole limb.. 58o 6I5circumnference of third joilt.. 237 263fourth " 339 491Entire length as mounted ...................... 920 1005Length of antennae exceeds 400 mm.The right limb bears the crushing claw in No. i, but the left limb bears it inNo. 2. The weight of No. i when caught was said to be 31 pounds; that ofNo. 2 was said to be 34 pounds.Measurements of No. 2, made by J. B. Briggs, Jr.INCHES. MM.T'otal length, rostrum to end of telson, not including hairs...... 234. 603CARAPACE:Length of rostrum....................................... 2-?rf 59carapace...................................... 9. 248including rostrum...................... ii I 306Distance from cervical groove to posterior edge of carapace .. 4? Iri6Breadth between spines, near base of rostrum............... I1-- 40Breadth between spines, near base of second antenna....... 2j1 70Girth of carapace behind cervical groove................... r*i 5021899.] Whtitfield, Notice of Two Large Lobsters. I93INCHES. MM.PLEON:Length of seconid segment (inlcluding facet)................Breadth . .............................Girth " (spine to spine).................Length of sixth segment (including facet)..................Breadth . .............................Length of telson (not including sete)......................Breadth " at base.................................ANTENNi:ELength of stalk of first antenna ...........................basal segment................................Breadth of basal segment...............................Length of eyestalk......................................Breadth It ......................................Length of stalk of second antenna.........................Length-of exopodite (scale).............................Greatest width .................................... .PEREIOPODS:Lar-ge forceps (crushing claws).-Length of propodus (straight measurement)...............Greatest breadth of propodus at articulati'on with dactyl.....Girth of propodus just behinid articulation of dactyl.........ILength of dactyl.......................................Greatest breadth of dactyl..............................." girth " " ...............................Length'of carpus (on ininer margin, not including proximalspfne).. ..........................Greatest breadth of carpus...............................girth " .............................Length of meros (outer border)..........................Breadth " ......................................Smallforc epsLength of propodus (from tip to spine near proximal end)....Breadtlh of propodus...................................Girth " " .....................................Length of dactyl........................................Greatest breadth of dactyl................... ; ." girth " " ................................Length of carpus (on ininer margin, not including proximalspine) ..............................................Greatest breadth of carpus..............................girth ...............................Length of meros (outer border)..........................Greatest breadth of meros...............................[November, 1899.]2 1 52419 ii6I4f 267I T4§ 224T7- I1I3212 702}gf 75I4TI-1 0-1081 42TW9'57I o074rX2012.3,w19w4-A31I21 03TwI51I5TW71426T4547322$I6I6135622I438I19452I'577924111386305'4395394SI4338720251'7'10387284138lo&13194 Bulletin Amerzcan Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XI I.INCHES. MM.Second and fifth pereiopods:Length of propodus, second pereiopod .. 3 goBreadth at articulation of dactyl ..TA..............IfW 30Length of dactyl........................................ 212 70Breadth " (at articulation) ....... ................... A ir6Greatest length of carpus............................ 2...2 63Breadth of carpus (secotid pereiopod). I- 28Length of dactyl (fifthdpereiopod) ............... I 25Breadth of dactyl (fifth pereiopod) I3Length of propodus. .............. ... 2jj 7IBreadth (dist. ext.) ..... ...................... fl 19(prox. ") .j..............1 19Length of carpus ...................... Ij[ 44Breadth " ........................................ { 17PLEOPODS:Length of first pleopod .. 2+j 71distal segment ................... 1 44Greatest breadth of distal segment ....................... I I7Length of stalk of second pleopod......................... 1-0 41Breadth " " 1......... .......... .. . 9Length of exopodite ............... ....................... 11 44Breadth ".1................ . ... .. .. .. .. .. . I4Length of exopodite, sixth pleopod, from an angle betweenspines of protopodite.................. .............. 34A 84Greatest breadth of exopodite at hinge, sixth pleopod........ *21 70Lcngth of endopodite (sixth pleopod)........................ 24 6oGreatest breadth" " " ...... 2 8 63BULLETIN A. M. N. H.HOMARUS AMERICANUS DeKay.From off Atlantic Highlands, N. J.THE HELIOTYPE PRINTING CO., BOSTON.VOL. XI1, PL. IX.

Notice of two large lobsters

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