Approximately 20,000 measurements were made of crabs and cast exoskeletons, chiefly from Boundary bay, southern British Columbia. From size frequencies of crabs under 3 cm. seven modes have been identified as representing the early post-larval instars. Increase in size of animals in the laboratory or in live wells is significantly less than in nature, and leads to erroneous results when applied to growth. The increase per moult decreases from about 40 per cent in the early post-larval stages to about 15 per cent in males of 13.5 cm. and 10 per cent in females of 13.0 cm. Above 10 cm. the males increase more per moult. The intervals between moults become progressively longer with increasing size, and tagging experiments indicate that large crabs moult yearly. Probably to reach the maximum size, seventeen and sixteen post-larval instars are required for males and females respectively. Sexual maturity in female crabs is probably attained during the fourth or fifth year but may occur in the third or the sixth year. The legal size in British Columbia (6½ inches, or 16.5 cm.) is probably attained during the seventh or eighth year. The average duration of life is probably about eight years and the maximum age not more than ten years.
However, the behavior of Cancer magister has been mentioned only briefly (MacKay, 1931 and1942) and very little information is available in the literature concerning this economically important crustacean. It would therefore seem desirable to place on record the available information concerning the behavior of this crab.The observations reported herein were made chiefly at Crescent and at Prince Rupert, British Columbia during the period 1930-34 and 1941. Crescent is located on Boundary Bay, a large and relatively shallow bay in the extreme southern section of British Columbia (see fig. 1). It is the site of an intensive crab fishery characterized by somewhat unusual fishing methods which will be discussed later in this paper.
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