THE LAMPERN. 495 
gifted with any great power of fin, and cannot make much head against a 
sharp current, needing to rest at intervals, and for that purpose fastening on 
to some large stone over which the stream has no control. 
But when it sets to work upon its nursery, it takes advantage of the 
current to help it in its labours, and, by the mingled force of the stream and its 
own muscular action, soon contrives to carry away the pebbles that would 
interfere with the well-being of its future young. 
The process is simple enough. When the Lamprey has fixed on the con- 
venient spot to which it is urged by its unfailing instinct, it surveys the 
locality for a short time, and then sets vigorously to work. Fastening itself 
to one of the obnoxious pebbles, and disposing its body so as to gain the 
sirongest hold upon the rushing stream, it “ backs water” with wonderful 
energy, and fish and stone are soon seen tumbling together down the current. 
In this way, the Lamprey will remove stones of such a magnitude that 
a fish of three times its dimensions would appear unable even to stir them. As 
soon as the stone has been moved a yard or two away, the Lamprey wriggles 
its way back again, and takes possession of another stone. By a repetition 
of this process the hollow is soun made, and the industrious fish is able to 
deposit its eggs therein. 
The colour of the Lamprey is olive-brown, spotted and mottled with dark 
brown and deep greenish olive. Its ordinary length is from sixteen to twenty 
inches. 
THE LAMPERN is plentiful in many of the English rivers, and, it 
the generality of residents 
near the water were only 
aware of its excellence for 
the table, would soon be 
thinned in numbers. The 
prejudice that exists against 
the eel and the lamprey is 
absolutely mild when com- 
pared with the horror with 
which the Lampern is con- : 
templated in many parts of ee 
England. Not only do the 
ignorant people refuse to 
eat it, but they believe it to 
be actually poisonous, and would sooner handle an angry viper than a poor 
harmless Lampern. It is fortunate for the fish that its evil reputation is so 
widely and firmly established, for, under shelter of its name, it passes scath- 
less through many a stream, from which it would be nearly extirpated if its 
right character and good qualities were better known. 
Granted the bad reputation, the creature certainly behaves in a manner 
well calculated to strengthen any unfavourable reports; for, as soon as grasped, 
it writhes about in a viperine, not to say venomous fashion, and is sure to 
fix its sucker of a mouth on the imprisoning hand. Fev uninitiated captors 
can endure to any further extent, and when they feel the cold lips pressed to 
the skin, and the quick suck by which the fish attaches itself, they generally 
utter a scream of terror, and fling the Lampern away as far as their arm can 
jerk it. Yet the creature has no idea of using its mouth as a weapon of 
offence, and when it fixes itself to the hand, is only seeking for a point of 
support as a fulcrum for its struggles. 
Certainly, it has teeth, and under proper circumstances can use them in 
‘the task for which teeth were made, but it seems either to be unable or 
unwilling to employ them as weapons, I have caught thousands of these 
LAMPERN.—(Lamfetra fluviatilis.) 
