AND HOW TO CATCH THEM. 75 



The Lamprey. 



FAM., Petromyzidas. 



The lamprey being generally spoken of as the 

 lamprey eel, I have placed it to follow eels in this 

 work. It chiefly deserves our notice from some 

 members of its family, the lampern, and sand pride 

 particularly, constituting an excellent bait for pollack, 

 turbot, cod, and many other fish. Large or sea 

 lampreys ascend many of our large rivers to spawn, 

 and are taken occasionally in nets and eel-baskets. 



The lampern or fresh-water lamprey at one time 

 was eagerly purchased in immense quantities by the 

 Dutch line fishermen, thus creating an important 

 and remunerative branch of trade on the Thames and 

 some other rivers, giving employment to numbers of 

 families who devoted their attention to this occupa- 

 tion, but of late years the trade has fallen off, other 

 baits are used, and the lampern fishing is neglected. 

 The sand pride is found in many of the small brooks, 

 particularly in the west of England ; they can be easily 

 obtained by damming up a pool, dipping out the water, 

 and then collecting them from among the stones, roots, 

 &c., at the bottom. They are very tenacious of life, 

 and can be kept in a bait-kettle for many days. 



