MUD LAMPREY. 405 



of a rapid stream, the strength of which it might scarcely be 

 able to stem, or to the appetite of any prowling inhabitant of 

 the river; from which its powers would not enable it to escape. 

 How well it can live buried in a soil fitted to its wants will 

 appear from trials to which it has been subjected. 



An example was procured at the beginning of April, and 

 at first kept in a pint measure of clear water, where it 

 sometimes shewed activity, or rather a restless disposition, as 

 we often see with large numbers in like circumstances; but 

 also it often lay as if dead at the bottom, on its back or side. 

 Some of the usual mud was then taken from the rivulet and 

 placed at the bottom of the vessel; into which it soon buried 

 itself, and there continued without being seen above it again 

 until the middle of December; at which time it appeared to 

 have become a little more slender, perhaps from deficiency of 

 food; but not less lively, and after this it was set at liberty. 

 On another occasion a few of these fish were placed in a glass 

 vessel, with the usual river mud at the bottom. Two of them, 

 of larger size, were for a time usually in sight, and sometimes 

 active, but the others continued hid in the soil ; nor was the 

 water changed for the last six months of their imprisonment; 

 and only a little was added to supply the loss from evaporation; 

 but from August to the following June they continued alive, 

 and at last one of them was enclosed in a box with some 

 green seaweed that had been washed in fresh water, and sent 

 to my friend Mr. Yarrell; who received it still alive after a 

 confinement of thirty-six hours. 



A couple of these fish were kept for several hours in clean 

 water; and when a rather tenacious mud was added, from a 

 millpool, one of them became buried in it in a quarter of an 

 hour, and the other in twice that time. This soil did not 

 appear congenial to their habits and motions, but they continued 

 within it, except that for a time their heads were often brought 

 above its surface, and openings were formed opposite the 

 breathing holes, and one of them remained in health, entirely 

 within the mud for several weeks. In a large pan of water a 

 considerable number hid themselves beneath the flat stones which 

 were placed at the bottom; but in all cases a small degree of 

 disturbance excites them to action, and they seek to escape 

 from it. That they can survive the contact of sea-water appears 



