96 THE SEA LAMPREr. 



neighbourhood till tlie young are quickened into life. 

 She is then fcen, with her numerous family playing a- 

 round her ; wliich, as foon as they have acquired fufiici- 

 ent flrength, ihe gradually conducts to the fea. 



'ihe River Lamprey *. 



1 HIS fpecies is fmaller than the former, feldom exceed- 

 ing ten inches in length ; and is diftinguifhed by tranf- 

 veife lines of a blackifli colour f. The mouth is of the 

 fame round form as in the preceding fifh, and is pofleffed 

 of the fame adhefive power. On the upper part of it, 

 is a large bifurcated tooth ; on each fide there are three 

 rows of very minute ones 5 and on the lower part there 

 are feven, the exterior of which on each fide is the 

 largeft J. 



Like all the other fifhes of this genus, there is between 

 ^he eyes a fpout-hole or orifice, refembling that of the 

 cetaceous filhes, and probably deftined for a fimilar pur- 

 pofe, that of ejedling water from the throat and lungs. 

 The back fin of the river lamprey is not continued un- 

 interrupted to the tail, but is broken oiF; and behind it 

 there rifes a fecond, which goes round the tail, terminat- 

 ing at the anus. 



This fpecies, as well as the larger kind, is alfo eaten, 

 potted and highly feafoned : By fome it is preferred to 

 the fea lamprey, being milder tailed. All thefe difnes 



are 



* Lampetra medium genus, Will. La lamproye d'eau doulce, Beloo. 

 ^etromyzon fiuveatilis, Lin. Syft. 



I Willough. page 106, ^ Britilh Zool, clafs iv. gen. iv. 



