. THE MYXINE. 585 



in the task for which teeth were made, but it seems to be either unable 

 or unwilling to employ them as weapons. I have caught thousands of 

 these fish with the bare fingers, and had six or seven fixed on ray hand 

 at the same time, but they never did the least harm, and, though I am 

 afliicted with a peculiarly delicate skin, they did not leave even the least 

 mark of their presence. 



Like the sea lamprey, it scoops hollows in the pebbly bed of some 

 stream for the purpose of depositing its eggs, and removes the stones in 

 like manner. Sometimes a pair of Lamperns settle upon one spot, 

 and by dint of tugging and hauling make a cradle for their special 

 benefit. But it often happens that a great number of these fish — fifty 

 or sixty, for example — will settle themselves in the same locality, and 

 make a hollow as large as the rim of an ordinary pail. 



The flesh of the Lampern is remarkably excellent, and in many 

 places remote from its habitation is in great repute, and is indeed ad- 

 mired by many who have not the least idea of the fish they are eating. 

 A large part of the *' eel " pies so famous in the metropolis is composed 

 of Lampern flesh, and in the opinion of competent judges the substitute 

 is better than the reality. It can be dressed in a variety of ways, 

 stewing and potting being the favorites. Yet, as a general rule, the 

 poorer portion of the community refuse to eat the fish, and suffer the 

 pangs of cruel hunger rather than avail themselves of the rich banquet 

 at their very doors. 



The Myxine, or Glutinous Hag-fish, is so remarkably worm-like in 

 its form and general appearance that it was classed with the annelids 

 by several authors, and was placed in its proper position among the fishes 

 only after careful dissection. 



The Myxine is seldom taken when at large in the sea, but is captured 

 while engaged in devouring the bodies of other fish, to which it is a 

 fearful enemy in spite of its innocuous appearance. It has a custom of 

 getting inside the cod and similar fishes and entirely consuming the 

 interior, leaving only the skin and the skeleton remaining. The fisher- 

 men have good reason to detest the Myxine, for it takes advantage of 

 the helpless state in which the cod-fish hangs on the hook, makes its 

 way into the interior, and if the fish should happen to be caught at 

 the beginning of the tide will leave but little flesh on the bones. The 

 cod thus hollowed are technically called " robbed " fish. Six Myxines 

 have been found within the body of a single haddock. 



The name of Glutinous Hag-fish is derived from the enormous amount 

 of mucous secretion which the Myxine has the power of pouring from 

 a double row of apertures set along the whole of the under surface 

 from the head to the tail. 



Around the lips of the Myxine are eight delicate barbules, which 

 are evidently intended as organs of touch ; the mouth is furnished 



