1917] The Ottawa Naturalist 23 



THE LAMPREYS OF EASTERN CANADA. 



By A. G. Huntsman, B.A., M.B., 



Biological Department, University of Toronto, 

 Curator; Atlantic Biological Station. 



The lampreys are of exceptional interest, owing to their peculiar 

 structure and life history, as well as from the fact that they are the 

 most primitive of vertebrates. Comparatively little is known concern- 

 ing their distribution in our waters. It is therefore ctf interest to have 

 the accessible records brought together. 



I must express my indebtedness to Mr. C. W, Nash, Provincial 

 Biologist, for the privilege of examining specimens from his collections 

 in the Provincial Museum, to Prof. B. A. Bensley for access to the 

 collection of the Biological Department, to Prof. A. Willey for enabling 

 me to examine material in the Peter Redpath Museum, McGill Univer- 

 sity, to Mr. G. J. Desbarats, C.M.G., Deputy Minister, and Mr. A. 

 Halkett, Curator, for material from the Fisheries Museum, Ottawa, 

 Ont., and to Mr. F. Johansen for kindly examining specimens in the 

 collection of the Victoria Memorial Museum, Ottawa. 



Entosphenus wilderi (Jordan and Evermann). Brook Lamprey. 

 Syn. Ammocoetes branchialis (Auct. Amer.) 

 Lampetra wilderi. 

 Seven Islands, Quebec. ' (Huard, 1902, p. 169). 

 Northern and western streams of Ontario (?). Nash, 1908, 



p. 10). 

 Don River, York County, Ontario. (coll. Biological De- 

 partment, University of Toronto and coll. Ontario 

 Provincial Museum). 

 I have found it to be very abundant in the Don river near 

 Toronto. Adults, both males and femals, were taken during April 

 in 1913, and on May 7 many were obtained. This is the breeding 

 season, which, according to Gage (1893, p. 444), lasts usually from 

 May 8 to May 20 in the tributaries of Cayuga lake. On October 20, 

 1913, an adult, 19 cm. long was obtained, and also a larva, 12% cm. 

 long, which is probably to be referred to this species. I have been able 

 to examine a very complete series from Mr. Nash's collection, also from 

 the Don river, consisting of immature adults, and mature males and 

 females. 



Regan (1911, p. 202) places this species in the genus Entosphenus, 

 which he distinguishes from Lampetra by the presence of a semicircle 

 of small teeth on the lower or posterior side of the buccal disk. This 

 semicircle connects the last bicuspid teeth of either side. This char- 

 acter seems to be more constant than those used by Jordan and Ever- 



