are given in centimetres. From the observations it appears 

 that the males may become matnre abnost throughout the year. 



Xo attempt has been made by means of percentages to deter- 

 mine the chief months when the males become mature, the 

 reason being that owing to the handling and washing after 

 the animals are caught such external signs as those observed 

 would in man}' cases be destroyed. It is perhaps worth noting 

 from what records have been obtained that the largest number 

 of large males having these signs were found from July to 

 September, three of the chief casting months for the females, 

 and that only smaller males were found in February and April. 



The smallest berried female found measured 8 cm. ; one has 

 been taken lueasuring 9 cm., three measuring 10 cm., and 

 several of other sizes up to 17 cm. 



CastinCx. — Tables VII. and VIII. show for each month the 

 number and percentage of males and females which have been 

 found in the samples when in a soft condition or recovering 

 from casting. From the percentages it is clear that the chief 

 casting month for males is Ai^ril. But from information 

 obtained from fishermen and buyers of large quantities of 

 prawns, the males were casting during the latter part of March. 

 For at that time, amongst baskets of large prawns, by far the 

 greater number of which are males (see Table IV.), the buyers 

 found many in a soft condition, and the fishermen told me of 

 finding many large prawns which were soft. Prawns are con- 

 sidered to be large by the buyers and fishermen when over 

 15 cm., and these are roughly separated from the others before 

 being sold. 



The chief months during which the males are casting are 

 therefore March and April. 



