As the purpose of this article is to deal more particularly with the
commercial side of the lobster question all interested more
particularly in the natural history of the animal are referred to the
following works:


The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States,
sec. I, pp. 780-812.

The American Lobster, by Francis H. Herrick. Bull. U. S. Fish
Com. for 1895, pp. 1-252.



HISTORY OF THE FISHERY.

Ever since the early Puritan settlers first learned from the Indians
how to utilize the lobster, it has been one of the most prized
articles of food in the New England States. The early town records of
Massachusetts contain frequent references to this valuable crustacean,
and efforts were made at an early day to conserve the supply.

At first, as most settlers lived on or near the coast, each family
could easily secure its own supply, but as the settlements gradually
extended farther inland this became inconvenient, and it soon became
customary for certain persons living on the coast to attend to
supplying the wants of the inland settlers, and thus the commercial
fishery was established.