The Lamprey. 427 



THE SAW-FISH. (Tristu antiqiiorum.) 



THIS fish is found in the European and Atlantic seas. 

 Its body is flattened anteriorly with four or five branchial 

 openings below on each side ; two spiracles behind the 

 eyes ; no anal fin ; the head prolonged into a depressed 

 bony beak, with strong pointed spines on each side ; the 

 lips are rough and sharp like a file, supplying the place of 

 teeth. With its formidable weapon, which resembles a 

 toothed saw, this fish attacks the largest whales, and in- 

 flicts very severe wounds. The colour of its body is 

 of a greyish brown above, and paler below; its length 

 about fifteen feet, the saw being about a third of the 

 whole. 



THE LAMPEEY. (Pdromyzonmaiinus.} 



THE LAMPREY belongs to the last family of cartilaginous 

 fishes, and is one of the lowest in the scale of vertebrated 

 animals. It grows to the length of about three feet, 

 although the British species, with which we are best ac- 

 quainted, seldom exceeds twelve inches. To avoid the 

 constant muscular exertions necessary to prevent their 

 being carried away by the current, they attach them- 

 selves by the mouth to stones or rocks, and hence are 

 called Petromyzon, Stone-suckers. The Lamprey, although 



