438 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



being carried along with the current, they attach themselves 

 by the mouth to stones or rocks, and were, in consequence, 

 called " Petromyzon," or stone-suckers ; while the circular, 

 purse-shaped form of the mouth induced the name " Cyclo- 

 stomes," or round-mouthed fishes. 



The lamprey is highly esteemed for the table, and is there- 

 fore much sought after in the rivers where it is found. Like 

 the eel, it ascends rivers in the spring, and returns to salt 

 water in the fall. Sir W. Jardine supposes they spawn in 

 fresh water, but he probably confounds them with the river 

 lamprey, which is a more common fish, and less sought after 

 by the epicure. It is known that the marine lamprey at- 

 taches itself to vessels for traversing the coasts, rivers, and 

 canals ; and some Continental naturalists argue that, as the 

 lamprey is much slower than the eel, but visits the upper 

 parts of rivers about the time when salmon and shad appeal- 

 there, it must therefore attach itself by its mouth to the sal- 

 mon and shad, and is by them towed up the rivers. I think 

 the idea absurd, though it has the sort of sanctional belief 

 of Doctor Gunther, and that which Professor Agassiz gives 

 against the turtle's willingness to be turned on its back. 

 That the marine lamprey is a more active fish than it has 

 credit for being is probably nearer the truth. 



Both eels and lampreys may be cultivated by cutting ca- 

 nals through soft marsh and swamp lands to connect with 

 tidal waters, as they redaily enter such inlets for food, and, 

 after they grow large and fat, and turn toward salt water, 

 close the copper-wire gates on them, and lead them by other 

 sluices to chambers from which there is no egress. 



The eel fishery at Comacchio nets annually $70,000. The 

 Po is a shallow, sluggish river, which debouches into the 

 Adriatic by its legs of the Reno and Volano, between which 

 is a large swamp and numerous lagoons. Here eels, which 

 enter in the spring and fatten through the summer, are in- 

 tercepted on their way back to sea in the fall by closing 

 the main outlets, and leading them by devious channels to 



