CRUSTACEA. 



Bull is a practical fislierman, and has always been an observer 

 of nature, especially as regards fish iu^d Crustacea. He says 

 that in the Hunter Hiver there are two distinct species 

 of prawn, commonly known among prawners as the yellow 

 head or river prawn, and the white head or sea prawn. The 

 former is very delicate as compared with the latter, and is 

 rarely found nearer the mouth of the river than Hexham, 

 excepting in flood times, as it appears to be partial to 

 brackish rather than salt water, while the latter is rarely 

 caught above Hexham, excepting in very dry seasons. 



The yellow-head is not so good for market as the white, 

 the latter is a larger species, its flesh is firmer, and it keeps 

 longer. 



Although they differ much in appearance, their mode of 

 spawning and breeding is similar, and usually takes place 

 between the months of February and May, but this is 

 influenced considerably by the weather. When the spawn 

 commences to mature, or appear on the legs, the prawn leaves 

 its natural liaunts or feeding-grounds, and travels up small 

 creeks or drains into brackish water, swamps or marshes, 

 where the spawning matures, after which the old prawns 

 generally return to their regular feeding-grounds ; but wdien 

 they remain at the spawning place they attain an unusual 

 size. 



When the young prawns are about one-third grown they 

 collect together in shoals and peregrinate towards the river 

 in search of feeding-grounds, frequently accompanied by the 

 old prawns that have remained behind. 



I have frequently found them as far inland as the Hexham 

 swamps, about 2 miles from either creek or river. 



