191< VERTEBRATA. PISCES. 



in its lengthened cylindrical form, and smooth slimy 

 surface ; its circular mouth is beset with scattered 

 teeth arranged round the throat, and acts as a pow- 

 erful sucker, by means of which the animal attaches 

 itself to rocks or stones to procure stability, and to 

 the bodies of other fishes, into which it eats away 

 to the bones. Another use is also assigned to it. 

 " They are not furnished with any elongation of 

 the jaw, afforded to most of our fresh-water fish, 

 to form the receiving furrows at the important 

 season of spawning ; but the want is supplied by 

 their sucker-like mouth, by which they individually 

 remove each stone. Their power is immense : 

 stones of a very large size are transported, and a 

 large furrow is soon formed." * "When the sucker 

 is attached to any object, and the mouth is closed, 

 the water is still respired, entering the gills by the 

 same apertures as it is ejected : and in the respi- 

 ration being thus independent of the mouth, they 

 resemble the Cephalopoda. Three or four species 

 are British, of which the Lamprey (P. Marinus) 

 and the Lampern (P. Flumatilis] are most esteemed : 

 both are taken in the Thames. The Sand-pride 

 (Ammoco3tes-\ Branchialis) has all the parts which 

 should constitute the skeleton, so soft and mem- 

 branous, that they are hardly entitled to the name 

 of cartilage. Its upper lip is half round, and its 

 under lip transverse, so that it does not adhere, 



* Jardine, quoted in Br. Fishes, ii. 451. 



f "A^aj, ammos, sand, and xoirti, koite, a bed. 



