1841.

2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725.
Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57.

III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of
cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives
UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in
the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times
from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it.

As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described
or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I
shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of
their more characteristic features.

The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly
resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger
than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the
figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of
the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian
species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS
AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two
inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said
not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards'
figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there
are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia.

Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller
variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial
flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject
to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the
surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and
remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface;
at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets
plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands
are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds
of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many
weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur
every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next,
and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have
often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by t