THE HAG-FISHES. 681 



"Previous to tlio building of tlie dam over the Housatonic at Birmingham, Lampreys were taken 

 in large quantities as far up the river as the falls in the town of New Millbrd; now none are seen 

 above the dam. Then, standing over the falls on shelving rocks, one could hook them, as they 

 clung to the rocks with their suckers, by means of a large- sharp hook fastened to a long polo, this 

 hook being imbedded in the holes in the sides of their necks. Many people formerly salted barrels 

 of them for their own consumption. Their use at present has much decreased, owing to the dis- 

 turbance in the fisheries caused by the building of the dams. Those now used iu the vicinity of 

 Bridge water are taken in the Housatonic at Birmingham, and during the mouths of May and June 

 arc peddled through the country by the people who catch them." 



Mr. N. M. Muckctt, of Lakeville, Connecticut, states that in that vicinity the annual average 

 catch i.s about two thousand lish, the implement of capture used being a pole about six feet in 

 length with a hook iu its end. The lisheries are located iu Salmon River about two miles from the 

 Connecticut, just above tide water, and the Lampreys sell in the markets of the adjoining villages 

 at an average price of five dollars a hundred. 



Mr. M. A. Hart, of Eivertoii, Connecticut, says that thirty years ago, and before, Lampreys 

 were found in the Farmington Eiver in the vicinity of Uiverton, but have long ago been exhausted. 

 Quantities are sold in the city markets of .Southern Connecticut, chiefly obtained in the Connecticut 

 Eiver in spring and early summer. They are easily caught with the hands, and fishermen captur- 

 ing them in this way always use mittens. 1 



Mr. C. M. Hunt, of Northville, Connecticut, states that in New Mil ford large quantities are 

 consumed in May and June which are caught in the Housatouic at Birmingham. Before the dam 

 was built they were caught everywhere iu the Housatouic and the small streams which are its 

 tributaries. 



203 THE HAG-FISHES MYXINID.2E. 



The "Slime Eel, ; ' Mi/.vine i/littiiiona, is found on the Atlantic coast north of Cape Cod, and in 

 the deeper water even further south. It occurs also on the coasts of Northern Europe. It is a 

 great annoyance to the fishermen, whose baits it devours, and who entertain for it a superstitious 

 dread. Little is known of its habits, and its importance to man is very slight. Jordan writes: 



"The Hag-fishes (Uli/j-hiiilfc) are represented along the California coast by one species. Poll- 

 sMrcma Stout i. It is most abundant in Monterey Bay, where it is vei;y destructive to fishes caught 



1 Tlic Hartford (Conn.) "Tost," in .lime, l-7o, com. -lined tlic following paianraph: 



"Cuiiious HAitiTS or LAMIMSKY EKLS. Two gentlemen from Granbv, Connecticut. Messrs. Dewe\ and Gocid- 

 rich, were in town last week on a visit, und look away with them on their return one hundred and tun Lamprey Kels, 

 which they captured iu the creeks hereabout. The, Eels \\cre all of g 1 size, sixty-two of them weighing "ne hun- 

 dred i nds. These Eels are esteeni'-d tn lie :i great delicacy hy the people of l.ranby and neighlioih 1, and are 



held to he worth twelve cents apiece, or they otter to exchange a barrel of pork lor a barrel of cured I'.els. The 

 method of taking these r>ls is quite novel. They are found only in shallow water, with stony or gravi |]\ bottom, 

 and the fisherman .noes provided with a . lai i:e ba'_; of net! ing, the month of the bag being distended with a hoop, and 

 an instrument of iron about eighteen inches long terminating in a hook. 



'Tlie F.els have what are called nests, made by heaping up stones in a circle of about eighteen inches in diameter. 



These st s they place in this position by fastening their sucker mouths thereon and moving themselves laterally, 



drawing the stones along with them. Inside this circle of stones lie usually from three toli\e 1.. Is, parallel with 

 one another, their heads all in one direction and each I'.d made' fast by saction to & stone. The bold li-.hennan ap- 

 proaches them from liehind, and, skillfully putting his hook under an Eel. he suddenly brings it up with such force 

 that it pellet rates the hide, and brings out the lish, when, after two or three flourishes in the air to net him in the 

 right position, he J8 deposited in the bag. Each Eel iu tin- nest is in turn made the subject of a similar operation, 

 the creatures often holding oil to the stone with such tenacity as to bring it out of the water with them, when the 

 aerial flourish causes it to become detached and to tly to a considerable distance. 



"These Eels, it is said, arc wholly free from bones save the backbone, which is removed in dressing, and when 

 salted for a few weeks und fried make an article of food second to none in the way of lish." 



