THE MYXINE. 507 



The Myxine, or Glutinous Hag (P/r-dl, Sw. ; Sleep- 

 mark, or slime- worm, Norw.; Slim-aal, or slime-eel, Dan. ; 

 Myxine glutinosa, Linn.), was very common with vis, and 

 on the western coast, from the Sound to beyond the Polar 

 Circle ; but hitherto it has not fovmd its way into the Baltic. 

 From its peculiar structure and apparent want of eyesj 

 Linnams and others were led to class it with the worms, 

 and it was not until after dissections, and published 

 descriptions, that its true relation to the lampreys was 

 acknowledged. Its usual length is from twelve to four- 

 teen inches, but it attains to fifteen or sixteen. It dwells, 

 for the most part, in the deep — say from twenty to fifty 

 fathoms — and in preference where the bottom, to which it 

 always confines itself, is muddy. It appears to be a very 

 inert fish. " Those taken alive and placed in a tub of salt 

 water," says Professor Sundevall, "lie for the most pai-t 

 extended to their full length at the bottom of the vessel. 

 When disturbed they swim in the manner of the eel, but 

 with less vigour. If placed in fresh water, they die almost 

 as rapidly as if in spirits." 



It does not prey on living animals like the sea 

 lamprey, but only on such as are defunct, and on almost 

 anything, the human corpse not excepted, that comes in 

 its way. And of dead fishes it finds abundance in the 

 nets and on the lines of the fishermen when, owing to 

 stress of weather, they have remained unexamined for a 

 day or two. It is believed to enter the fish by the mouth, 

 and after eating its fill, to make its exit through the 

 anus ; and it often happens that the men, on taking up 

 their gear, find nothing remaining of the fish but the 

 bones and the skin, wliich, instead of flesh, is filled with 

 myxines. Professor Sundevall relates that in a dead 

 haddock that had only been placed in the water a few 

 hours he found near twenty of these singular creatures, 

 buried several inches in its flesh. The myxine, in conse- 



