17 



FRESH- WA TER CRA YFISH. 



Murrumbidgee Crayfish, Astacopsis spinifera (Heller). 



This is also known as the " Murray River Lobster." It is 

 •distributed over the greater part of the western watershed, 

 is also found on the mountains, and is quite common in the 

 •County of Cumberland, in the neighbourhood of Sydney. It 

 is, however, in the large western rivers that it attains its 

 .greatest perfection and size. This crustacean in coloration 

 varies in different parts and at different stages of growth, 

 from a deep red to a light bluish-grey, the latter being the 

 prevailing tint of the majority of the larger specimens. There 

 is also a great amount of variation in the finer details of 

 -external structure. A close study of a large series of specimens 

 from all over the country will probably show that this remark- 

 able crayfish may be differentiated into a number of well- 

 marked groups. 



