THE SEA LAMPRET 



95 



In proof of the ancient predile£lion of the Englljlj for 

 this fifh, it is a cwfloirt, from time immemoTial, for 

 the city of Gloucejler to prefent annually his majefty 

 with a lamprey pye, covered with a large raifed cruft. 

 As the gift is made at Chriftmas, it is with great diffi- 

 culty the corporation can procure any freih lampreys 

 2t that early feafon, though they offer a fum far exceed- 

 ing their ufunl price *. The various methods of taking 

 the lampreys, it is not the bufinefs of this work, to de- 

 fer i be. 



The fiQies of this genus, fi'om fome peculiarity in 

 their conformation, generally fwim with their bod 7 on ^ 

 level with the furface of the water ; and, it is faid, can 

 eafily be fuffocated, by being immerfed iu it for any con- 

 fiderable time. From this circumflance, it is probable 

 that they require a confliant fupply of air for breathing, 

 and that they are pofleffed of lungs, though no naturalift 

 has obferved them in giving an account of the vifcera of 

 thefe animals. 



Among this tribe, copulation is performed ventribus 

 commijjis, contrary to the manner of the greater number 

 of fiihes : When engaged in the bufinefs of procreation, 

 they generally frequent the ihallow water, where their 

 habits admit of being eafily examined. The female, 

 when ready to fpawn, digs a hole in the mud, where flie 

 depofits her ova ; and in this operation, the power of 

 fuftion, which we have already defcrlbed, is or fingular 

 advantage ; for, fiiould fhe meet with a flone, though of 

 confiderable bulk, ihe raifes and carries it out of th^ 

 way f . After the ova are excluded, and buried in tlie 

 excavation thus formed, tlic parent remains in the 



neigh- 



' BritiHi Zool, flafs iv. pen. Iv. f Ealncras apiij Willoi'gb. 



