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PRELIMINARY K'KI'oUT 



OX THE V > /^ 



Life History and Habits of the 

 "Lake Shrimp." 



( Penaeus Setiferus. ) 



By M. Herrick Spaulding. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



At the Last session of the Legislature there was some little 

 agitation in favor of a Law placing a closed season on the large 

 "Lake Shrimp" {Penaeus setiferus), which is so abundant 

 along the gulf const. Tii<; lack of sufficient data covering the 

 points al issue caused the matter to be dropped for the time 

 being. 



The present investigation was undertaken to provide this de- 

 sired and much-needed information, in so far as it was possible 

 to do so with the time and facilities at our disposal. In addition 

 to the section dealing especially with the form in question, some 

 notes on the oilier species of shrimp found in these waters are 

 g'iven in the second part of the present report. 



THE POSITION AND IMPORTANCE OF THE SHRIMP FISHERY. 



Although the shrimp industry is to be considered as still in 

 its infancy, it has grown rapidly in size and importance in the 

 last few years, and now is second only to the oyster industry. 



The status of the industry can best be shown by quoting from 

 the statistics of the United States Fish Commission. Although 



