2 GO FACT AGAIXST FICTION. 



Hemys died; but whether the surfeit arose from 

 the cook or the fish has always been a matter of 

 some doubt in my mind, — with this larger kind of 

 river-frequenting fish I am less acquainted. At all 

 events, by ocular observation, and, for the time, 

 most clear and close inspection, I have arrived at 

 a certain and distinct knowledge of the use to 

 which the lampreys turn their enormously wide 

 and sack-like mouths. 



One day in summer, I was fishing for perch 

 in the river Stour, in Hampshire, when my servant, 

 who was idling along the bank above me, and 

 looking in the deep, clear water for a shoal of 

 perch, called out that he could see ^Hwo large eels 

 feeding in the bottom of the river." Upon this 

 rather strange report, it being the middle of a hot 

 day, and the sun shining very brightly, I hastened 

 to the spot to ascertain what it was that the man 

 really saw. The river, at that particular turn of 

 its course, swept with a very brisk current over 

 a clear bottom of clay, without any weeds. On 

 arriving at my servant's side, I could very clearly 

 descry two large lampreys, very busily employed, 

 though their occuj^ation had nothing whatever to 

 do with food. So intent were they on the duty 



