EDIBLE CRUSTACEANS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 203 



smaller between that and the rostrum ; and a third behind the rudimentary- 

 cervical suture at the base of the first. Base of the legs of the two first 

 pairs armed with strong spines. Telson with three spines on each side. 



This Prawn is taken in large lumbers by small-meshed nets on the sandy- 

 beaches near the mouths of our rivers, the principal supply coming from 

 George's and Cook's Rivers. 



They are delicious food, and grow to five inches in length. 



PENiETJS MONODON. 



FenoBus 77i07iodo/t, Fixbr. Supp. p. 408; Latr. Hist. Xat. des An. et Ins. vi. 



p. 249 ; Lam. Hist, des An. sans Yert. v. p. 205 ; Desm. Consid. p. 



225 ; M.-Edw. Hist. Nat. Crust, ii. p. 416 ; Miers, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, 



p. 307 ; Ha.swell, Austr. Malacostr. p. 199. 

 Penceus semisulcatits, De Haan, Faun. Japon. Crust, p. 191, pi. xlvi. f. 1, 



1849 ; Miers. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, p. 299 ; Haswell, Austr. Malacostr. 



p. 199. 

 Penceus esculentus, Haswell, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. "Wales, 1879, iv. p. 38, 



and Austr, Malacostr. p. 200. 



Tiger Prawn. 



A dorsal carina, not or obsoletely sulcated, generally not reaching to the 

 posterior extremity of the carapace. Gi-astro-hepatic sulcus deep. Eostrum 

 with six to eight teeth above, of which the most posterior is separated from 

 the next by a distance greater than the intervals between the others ; its 

 lower border armed with three or four teeth. First pair of legs with a long 

 acute spine on the under surface of the second joint, and another on the 

 under surface of the third joint ; the second pair with a single spine on the 

 second joint. Telson acute. 



Mr. "\Vhitelegge, in his " Marine and Freshwater Invertebrate Fauna of 

 Port Jackson," writes of this species : — " P. monodon, Fabr. = P. semisul- 

 cafus, De Haan = P. esculentus, Hasw." This is the "Tiger Prawn" of the 

 Sydney fishermen. Spence Bate in the Challenger Beport, vol. xxiv. p. 

 250, says that the females alone have a groove on the dorsal carina ; in Dr. 

 Haswell's specimen from Port Darwin, there is a well marked groove ; the 

 specimen is a male." 



This species is at times common in the Sydney market, but is irregular in 

 its appearance ; during the sii.mmer and autumn of 1891-92 it was excep- 

 tionately plentiful, since which time but few specimens have been observed ; 

 Dr. Haswell is mistaken in saying that this species is " the common edible 

 Prawn of Sydney, Xewcastle, &c." 



This is a marine species and is taken principally, if not entirely, on clean 

 sandy beaches. It does not mix much with other Prawns, but from its 

 preference for the same class of ground sometimes occurs in company with 

 P. canaliculatus. 



PEX^IIS, SP. 



Mr. "Whitelegge says : " This is probably an undescribed form. The 

 carapace is hairy, sculptured, and each of the first three pairs of legs bears a 

 spine near the base. 



This is by far the most common species offered for sale, P. canaliculatus 

 and P. macleayi are often seen intermixed with it, the lastnamed being the 

 rarest of the two." - •"! 



Abundant at certain seasons in the Sydney market and much valued as 

 food. 



Attains a length of three inches. 



