THE LAMPRKY. 267 



to see the creature ; its extreme agility, when taken from the water, seem- 

 ed to justify the old saying, ' as merry as a grig.' 



On 5tli March, 1835, I made the following note in reference to the 

 living sjiecimens received from Dr. Ball : — 



" The two lampreys received by me on Feb. 2nd (and which had 

 been taken from their native brook a few days previous to the 19th 

 Jan.) I put into the vase with a pair of gold-fishes. The latter seemed 

 to express their fear by throwing their dorsal fins into the most rigid 

 position, so that every ray seemed perpendicularly upright, and during 

 the short time that the lampreys continued their gambols, the gold-fishes 

 kept close together ; they soon perceived, however, that the lampreys 

 did not attempt to molest them, and they did not afterwards regard 

 them. 



" The two species continued together for two or three weeks, the lam- 

 preys never for a moment intentionally molesting their more brilliant 

 companions, though in their gambols they would occasionally dash 

 against them, apparently through a deficiency or total want of sight, as 

 they did against objects of every description placed within the range of 

 their evolutions. 



" These evolutions are always similar, the fishes dashing violently from 

 the bottom of the vase with a rapid wriggling motion to the surface of the 

 water and back to the bottom again obliquely, and thus continuing for a 

 short time, although apparently as long as they have the power ; for in the 

 midst of their most lively motions they seem as if suddenly paralyzed ; 

 they invariably fall in a seemingly senseless manner to the bottom, and 

 Avhether they alight on back, belly, or sides, it is indifferent to them, as 

 they continue to remain in whatever position their body reaches the bot- 

 tom, until roused again to activity, which sometimes cloes not occur for 



considerable time. 



" I should be rather disposed to question the assumption, that the Pride 

 adheres to the branchiae of fishes, as some authors imagine ; during the 

 period already mentioned, my specimens did not attempt doing so with 

 the gold-fishes." 



March 1. Ammocwtcs hranchiaJis. The specimen in spirits agrees pre- 

 cisely with Fleming's description of this species. 



With the fig. of Petromyzon ceecus (ray) by Couch (Mag. Nat. Hist, 

 vol. V. p. 23) it agrees, excepting that the lip is too much rounded in the 

 fig. and the tail not lanceolate, as it is in the specimen. I cannot dis- 

 tinguish any teeth, as are described in the mud lamprey, my specimen 

 having what seems to be mere papilliB. In other particulars it agrees 

 with Couch's description ; my s])ecimen is certainly the Pride as described 

 by Pennant ; his fig. is very bad. 



Nov., 1842. Mr. E. Waller sent me an example of the Pride, from a 

 tributary of the river Blackwater, which empties itself into L. Neagh. 



Mr. Templeton mentioned tliis species in his Catalogue, and Dr. R. 

 Ball notes it as occurring at ])ublin and Youghal. 



The Myxine, Glutinous Hag, oh Borek, 311/xme fflidinosa, Linn., 

 Gastrobranchits ccbcks, Bloch, 



Is only known to me from its being mentioned by M'Skimmin in his 

 History of Carrickfergus, and by Mr. Templeton in his Catalogue, where 

 the following note occurs : — 



" Mxjxine (Linn.), glutinosa Linn., has been found at Carrickfergus." 



