THE LAMPREYS 9 



quickly forward and hastily attaching themselves to 

 some fixed object, such as a large stone, and then 

 resting, waiting an opportunity for a new plunge; 

 in this connection it may be mentioned that the 

 name Lamprey is derived from the mediaeval Latin 

 Lampreda, a corruption of the older Lanipetra, from 

 lambere, to lick, ^x\(\ petra, a stone. 



At one time Lampreys were much appreciated 

 as a delicacy, so much so that there was a regular 

 fishery in the Severn, which was, and still is, the 

 most noted river for them, although they now 

 appear to be scarcer than formerly. The city of 

 Gloucester used to present the reigning monarch 

 with a dish of Lampreys every Christmas, and the 

 death of Henry I. was attributed to a too hearty 

 meal of these fishes. 



The Lampern or River Lamprey {Lampctra 

 jluviatilis) differs from the Sea Lamprey especially in 

 the dentition (Fig. i). The disc is smaller, and has an 

 outer series of small marginal teeth, within which is 

 in front an irregular double row of conical teeth, 

 and on each side three large teeth, the first and last 

 of which are usually bicuspid, the middle one 

 usually tricuspid. The supra-oral lamina is broad 

 and has a pointed projection at each end, the 

 infra-oral lamina has from six to nine more or less 

 acutely pointed cusps, and the anterior lingual 

 lamina bears a single transverse denticulated 

 ridge with an enlarged median denticle. The first 

 dorsal fin is separated by an interspace from the 

 second, which is triangular in form and continuous 

 with the caudal. The coloration is silvery white, 

 with the back bluish or greenish. 



