,94 5^^^ LAMPREY. 



Scotland and Ireland. The Severn, in the neighbourhood of Gloucester and Worcester, has 

 long been celebrated for this and another speci.es, viz. the P. fluviaiiiis, which is considerably 

 smaller than the P. viarinics. In the neighbourhood of Worcester the term Lamprey is usually 

 employed to designate the P. mariiius, while the P. flnviatilis is known by the name of 

 Lampern. 



The species now under consideration is the one which brought King Henry the First to 

 an untimely end; that monarch, it is said, having made a too full repast on this fish. 

 Pennant states that it was an old custom for the city of Gloucester to present the kings 

 with a Lamprey-pie, covered with a large raised crust. As the gift was made at Christmas, 

 the corporation had great difficulty in procuring fresh Lampreys at that time, though they 

 gave a guinea apiece for them so early in the season. At present, as I learned when I was 

 at Worcester last October, the Sea Lamprey is taken only in the spring, when it is ascending 

 the river from the sea for the purpose of spawning. They are caught both in nets and in 

 large wicker weels. Pennant says that notwithstanding the accident which befel Henry I., 

 Lampreys continued in high esteem. "Henry IV. granted protection to such ships as brought 

 over Lampreys for the table of his royal consort. His successor issued out a warrant 

 to William of Nantes, for supplying him and his army with Lampreys, wheresoever they 

 happened to march." 



The circular suctorial mouth of the Lamprey is made use of, at spawning time, for the 

 purpose of forming furrows or holes in the gravel, by removing stones from the place where 

 the fish wishes to deposit its spawn. Speaking of the Lampreys of Scotland, which make 

 their appearance in the rivers there later than in southern rivers. Sir William Jardine says — 

 "They ascend our rivers to breed about the end of June, and remain until the beginning of 

 August. They are not furnished with any elongation of the jaw, 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 are 

 transported, and a large furrow is soon formed. The P. viannus remain in pairs ; two on each 

 spawning place ; and while thus employed, they retain themselves affixed by the mouth to a large 

 stone." From enquiries I made when at Worcester, the Lamprey spawning-bed consists of 

 either furrows or holes made in the gravel in May;* the fish remain in the river a very 

 short time after spawning; they seem much weakened after that process, and are quickly 

 washed down by the river into the sea, where no doubt they recruit their exhausted condition. 



I have never tasted the Sea Lamprey, but if the quality of its flesh is at all similar to 

 that of the River Lampern, it must be most delicious eating. f According to Parnell the 

 fishermen in the Forth, above Alloa, when they accidentally take Lampreys in their nets, 

 "invariably return them again to the water, having a prejudice against them." Consequently 

 they are never under any circumstances seen in the Edinburgh markets. The snake-like form 

 and unpleasant look of the fish doubtless accounts for Scotch antipathy, as I have alluded to 

 when speaking of Eels. Mr. Couch also, in his Fauna of Cornimll, says of this species that 

 it is common, but rarely used as food. 



The words Lamprey and Laviperu, from lamhere, "to lick," and pefra, "a stone," answers 

 to the Greek petromyzon already explained. 



The characters of this species are thus given by Gunther. "Two pointed maxillary teeth 

 close together; mandibulatory tooth single, crescent shaped, with from seven to nine cusps. 

 Two pairs of lunate, pectinate lingual teeth ; the teeth of the anterior pair confluent. Suctorial 



* Fishing for the Sea Lamprey in the Severn near Worcester begins in February and lasts till May. 



t The mode of preparing the Lamprey, or Eel Lamprey as it is also called, at Worcester before cooking is by 

 putting the fish in boiling water and then scraping them with a knife; this is done to get rid of their abundant 

 mucus; they are then placed in cold water, and are ready for stewing or potting. 



