CHAP. xvn. EELS AND ELVERS. 249 



than in the sharp-nosed eel ; and the skin is quite devoid 

 of scales, whereas the fully-grown freshwater eel has small 

 and rudimentary scales deeply embedded in the tough skin. 



The poorer folk in England eat the flesh of the conger, 

 making it into soup, or drying and salting it for use when 

 other fish are scarce. But in Scotland this eel and its 

 smaller cousin are regarded as an abomination, and are 

 seemingly never used for food. 



Popularly associated with the eels, but in reality be- 

 longing to a very different group of fishes, are the lampreys, 

 a favourite dish of Henry I., who is said to have fallen a 

 victim to his inordinate love of this somewhat indigestible 

 food. The corporation of the city of Gloucester, whether 

 to keep green the memory of this event or not I cannot 

 say, were wont, until about fifty years ago, to present 

 every year to the reigning sovereign a pie of lampreys. 

 King John is said to have sent a single fish as a present 

 to the Earl of Chester, and to have received a good palfrey 

 in. return. 



The body of the lamprey is elongated and eel-like ; but 

 a very little examination shows that this fish is not a true 

 eel. There are no paired fins at all. In place of the gill- 

 slit there are seven small apertures behind the eye, each 

 of which opens into a separate gill-pouch. There is a 

 single nasal aperture in the mid-line. The mouth is very 

 peculiar, roundish, closing in from the sides, and furnished 

 with a kind of rim. Within the mouth are a number of 

 horny teeth, some of which are placed on a sort of tongue 

 which protrudes from the back of the buccal cavity. With 

 this mouth, which can be used as a sucker, the fish can 

 adhere so firmly to a rock or the bottom of a boat that in 

 some cases it is said to be impossible to pull them off by 

 the exercise of sheer strength. With this suctorial mouth 

 the lamprey adheres to such fishes as the salmon, mackerel, 



