370 THE PEACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



I think as this translation dates from the fourteenth century, the 



reader will think it worthy of preservation. 



The fringe-lipped lamprey, or P. Planeri, is found in the rivers Forth, 

 Allan, and Teith, in Melrose, and, according to Yarrell, in Surrey and 

 Sussex ; also, according to Couch, in Cornwall, Lancashire, and the 

 east of the Tweed. I cannot say I have been able to identify it personally. 

 I give, however, its generic characteristics which distinguish it from 

 the foregoing lampern the orifice of the forehead, the eye, and the 

 front branchial apertures are much nearer the anterior edge of the lip 

 than in the other species ; the colour is, however, the same, or only 

 slightly differing, according to locality. Its habits also do not vary, so 

 far as are at present known. 



Bloch named it after his friend Planer, who sent him specimens, and 

 Yarrell is satisfied as to the difference of species. I therefore have thought 

 fit to refer to it, though I hardly fancy the average angler will meet with it. 

 Its food, like the former members of the family, consists of small soft 

 insects and soft animal remains, as well as worms. 



The sand pride (P. Iranchialis) belongs to the sub-order ammoccetes, of 

 which the following are the generic characteristics : 



Form of body and branchial apertures and fins like those of the 

 lamprey; upper lip, semi-circular, with a straight transverse under- 

 lip; mouth without teeth, but furnished with numerous membranous 

 cirri. 



The principal difference is certainly in the horse-shoe shaped mouth, 

 and the fact that it never attaches itself by suction. It is some- 

 what plentiful around Oxford, and rarely exceeds the length of six 

 inches and the thickness of a swan quill. A local historian, from its 

 being found in some numbers in the Isis, termed it the " Pride of the 

 Isis," but the word pride in this connection cannot surely mean anything 

 noble of the fish over which the river god might be proud ; rather I 

 imagine it to be a stupid edition of prid, which word is a diminutive of 

 Lam-prey. 



Yarrell states the fish is sometimes found near Hampton, and that eels 

 are very fond of it. This latter truth I can testify to, for when they 

 have cared but little for worms I have repeatedly caught them with 

 these worm-like "sand prides" (which, by the bye, are occasionally 

 found near Uxbridge, in the Colne). 



The food of this fish is chiefly insects of a very minute size, and 

 trout eggs when procurable, and probably other fish spawn, worms, and 

 grubs. It spawns in April or May. 



From experiments I have made I am convinced that the fish is chiefly 

 nocturnal in its habits. Certainly it sleeps very much in the daytime, or, 



