CRUSTACEA. 73 



CHAPTER YI. 



CEUSTACEA. 



The Crustacea of New South Wales are numerous, only 

 some of the species are in estimation as articles of food. 

 The species principally sought after by fishermen is the 

 large cray-fish {Palinurus HugelUi), the smaller cray-fish 

 (P. LalandU) known as the Tasmanian, the common prawn 

 {Pence us esculent us), and the Murrumbidgee lobster 

 {Astacopsis spinifer) ', the first named of these is about the 

 finest of its kind. It attains a weight of 6 lb., and when in 

 season is entirely filled with meat of the most excellent 

 quality. It is found during the summer season abundantly 

 along all parts of the coast, and is caught by means of circular 

 nets from boats. 



The mode of capture pursued in the early years of the 

 Colony was by means of a bait rolled around a small stone 

 attached to a strong cord, the bait was lowered into the 

 water and the cray-fish taking it was hauled to the surface. 

 This crude contrivance, which was very slow in its results, 

 soon had to give place to the hoop -net, by means of which 

 it was possible to load a boat witli the fish in quite a short 

 space of time. The change from the line to the net method 

 of fishing was introduced by Thomas Mulhall, an old identity 

 of Sydney Harbour. Mulhall now holds a position as In- 

 spector of Fisheries. 



In the early part of summer the ova are found within the 

 abdomen of the female, when it is known to gourmets as the 

 coral. The animal is then in the finest condition. About 

 January the ova are shed, and are carried for a long time in 

 a semi-hatched state on the underside of the tail or abdomen 

 of the mother. Unfortunately the quality for food of the 

 cray-fish does not seem to suffer much at this period, as is 

 the case with crabs and otlier Crustacea while imdergoing 

 the above process ; the consequence is that the destruction 

 of the young fish with the mother is going on during the 

 entire season. The consumption in Sydney of this crustacean 

 is very considerable, and the price generally high, but at times 

 there is a glut in the market, and in consequence a serious 

 fall in price. At the Broughton Islands, a few miles north 



