358 CYCLOSTOMATA. 



mouth to a boat near Moulins, lie opened it and placed the ova in a large pan. 

 As it rained the pan was soon filled with water, and in about twenty days the 

 ova were hatched. He supposes the ova are fecundated while both sexes are 

 adhering side by side to the same rock or the same tree, a situation in which they 

 are sometimes found in groups, where they remain attached and interlaced in such 

 a manner that it is easy to capture them. 



As food. In the Forth, above Alloa, observes Parnell, when captured they 

 are returned to the water by the fishermen who have a prejudice against them. 

 The Irish are said to reject the lamprey as being so ugly, while in Cornwall they 

 are only used as bait. Pennant observes that they are in their best season during 

 March, April, and May, being more firm on their arrival from the sea, subse- 

 quently, as after breeding, they are much wasted and flabby. Along the banks of 

 the Severn they are said to be in their greatest perfection until " Ascension Day," 

 after which they fall off in condition. 



Lampreys are a great delicacy when potted or stewed but a surfeiting food. 

 The death of Henry 1st has been attributed to his having made too plentiful a 

 repast on these fishes. Henry IV granted protection to such ships as brought 

 over lampreys for the table of his Royal Consort, while his successor issued 

 a warrant to William of Nantes to supply him and his army with lampreys 

 whenever they should happen to march. The vertebral column should be entirely 

 removed before these fish are cooked, as it is said to be very indigestible, some 

 assert it to be even poisonous. 



A single lamprey was made a present from the Earl of Chester to King John, 

 who in return sent a good palfrey. The city of Gloucester at one time, annually 

 at Christmas, presented the reigning monarch with a dish of lampreys, also a pie 

 of the same fishes to the Prince of Wales. In the Archives of the Record Office 

 (date not given) is the following: " Five out of every hundred of lampreys shall 

 go to the bailiffs for their own behoof." 



Habitat. Seas of Europe, North America and West Africa, entering rivers 

 for breeding purposes. One occurred several years ago off Stromness, and one 

 has since been taken by Dr. Duguid (Baikie, Zool. 1853, page 4020) : off the Shet- 

 lands, a sea lamprey 14 inches long was thus captured, the fishermen hauling 

 their lines found that a saithe (coal-fish) vomited it on deck, quite alive, and they 

 kept it so for two days in a bucket of salt water, Avhen it died (Land and Water, 

 July 21st, 1883) : Banff, common (Edward) : one 33 inches long was captured in 

 Feb. 1849, at Lossiemouth, where the fishermen have never taken it with a bait, 

 but they assert that they have seen it fix itself by its mouth to a board that has 

 not been tarred, as a new rudder, and when thus seen they are taken by a basket 

 or " skoo " (Gordon, Zool. p. 3488). Aberdeen (Sim) : at St. Andrew's one was 

 captured attaching itself to a boat (Mcintosh). Berwickshire not uncommon 

 (Johnston) : Firth of Forth (Parnell). In Yorkshire resident and not uncommon 

 along the coast (York. Vertebrata) : in Norfolk abundant in the Yare in April 

 and May, when they run up to breed (Lowe) : mouth of Thames (Donovan). A 

 correspondent of the Field (Jan. 21st, 1882) remarking on the fishes of North 

 Devon, among those captured in the tidal waters of the Torridge includes " great 

 quantities of eels and large lampreys." Rare, according to Couch, in Cornwall, 

 common as stated in the Cornish Fauna : two have been recorded from St. Ives, 

 and on December 28th, 1881, Mr. Dunn, at Mevagissey, took one of these fishes 

 measuring 15 inches in length from the stomach of a hake. The Severn was the 

 most noted British river for them, but now they are rare there, the price being 

 from 2s 6d each upwards : Couch, in 1862, remarked that from 30 to 40 were 

 regarded as a successful adventure for one night at the price of Is to Is 6d for 

 each fish. 



In Ireland, in suitable localities, they are taken in all quarters of the island 

 and in numbers, as in the larger rivers connected with Lough Neagh where they 

 are of regular occurrence. They go up the Ballinderry river not only as far as 

 Coagh, about five miles from Lough Neagh, but four or five miles further 

 (Thompson). The same author received one 2 feet 5 inches long, taken on May 

 23rd, 1831, at Conswater, Belfast. It was seen with its dorsal fin above the 



