LAMPREY. G01 



rather common during spring- and summer in some of the 

 rivers on the southern coast of England, particularly the 

 Severn, and is found in smaller numbers in several of the 

 rivers of Scotland and Ireland about the same period of 

 the year. 



I have received specimens of large size from the Severn 

 in April and May, during which months it ascends that river 

 to a great distance from the sea for the purpose of depositing 

 its spawn. At this time it is considered in perfection as 

 food, and considerable quantities are prepared in various ways 

 for the table : the potted Lampreys and Lamperns of Wor- 

 cester are in high estimation. A few are caught in the 

 Thames almost every year, up which river it travels notwith- 

 standing all the numerous and various obstacles which the 

 port of London presents. I am indebted to my friend Mr. 

 Broderip for a note of one taken in June 1834, and another 

 in the same month of 1835, as high up the Thames as 

 Sunbury Weir. A fisherman saw the Lamprey, and struck 

 at it with his punt pole, and supposed he hit it, as the fish 

 rose to the surface and was taken as it was swimming along. 

 The haunt of this Marine Lamprey at Sunbury is a little 

 above the church, and nearly opposite the vicarage, in a place 

 called the Church Deep. 



In Scotland, the appearance of the Lamprey in the fresh 

 water is rather later in the year than in the rivers of the 

 south. Sir William Jardine says, " They ascend our rivers 

 to breed about the end of June, and remain until the begin- 

 ning of August. They are not furnished with any elonga- 

 tion of the jaw, afforded to most of our fresh-water fish, to 

 form the receiving furrows at this important season ; but the 

 want is supplied by their sucker-like mouth, by which they 

 individually remove each stone. Their power is immense. 

 Stones of a very large size arc transported, and a large furrow 

 is soon formed. The P. mar inns remain in pairs, two 



