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The Reproduction of the Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2014

Gregg Wilson
Affiliation:
Natural History Laboratory, University of Edinburgh
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Extract

During the last two winters I have had considerable opportunity of making observations on the reproduction of the edible crabs of the Northumberland coast; and though, my results are still incomplete, and some of them, as, for instance, those relating to the size of sexually mature crabs, are chiefly of local importance, I think the meagreness of past work on the subject, and its practical importance in connection with fishery legislation, justify me in publishing some account of what I have seen.

Type
Proceedings
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1895

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References

page 309 note * In a few crabs taken at random the measurements were as follows:—

page 313 note * The whole subject of the migration of crabs has been much discussed: they are, in fact, fished offshore in the early months of the year, and inshore later on; but it is constantly urged that this is no proof of seasonal migration, and that a storm in summer is enough to stir up crabs well offshore, while in winter the inshore crabs may be buried. But a Beadnell man has got some definite results of labelling experiments for me: two crabs out of twelve that were marked and liberated at the shore in December 1892 were recovered in 1893,—one in March, 1½ miles out; the other in April, fully 3 miles from the coast. Another, labelled in December, and put into the sea 2 miles out, was recovered in July close to the beach.

page 313 note † To illustrate my method, I give an abstract of my notes on twentytwo hard (selected) female crabs that were examined on 5th October:—