62 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. {cHaPr. VL 
It was some distance from the mouth, and where the stream. 
confined by a narrow rocky channel, ran with great strength. 
Nevertheless these little eels, which were about six inches long, 
and as large round as a quill, persevered in swimming against 
the stream. When they came toa fall, where they could not 
possibly ascend, they wriggled out of the water, and gliding 
along the rock close to the edge, where the stone was constantly 
wet from the splashing and spray of the fall, they made their 
way up till they got above the difficulty, and then again slipping 
into the water, they continued their course. For several hours 
there was a continued succession of these little fish going up in 
the same way; and for more than a week, the same thing was 
to be seen every day. The perseverance they displayed was 
very great, for frequently, although washed back several times, 
an eel would always continue its efforts till it managed to ascend. 
Towards winter they are said to descend the river again, in equal 
numbers. Trout and many birds feed constantly on these small 
eels, catching them with great ease in the shallows. 
One summer day I was amused by watching the singular pro- 
ceedings of two lampreys in a small ditch of clear running water 
near my house. They were about six inches in length, and as 
large round as a pencil. The two little creatures were most 
busily and anxiously employed in making little triangular heaps 
of stones, using for the purpose irregularly shaped bits of gravel 
about the size of a large pea. When they wished to move a 
larger stone, they helped each other in endeavouring to roll it 
into the desired situation: occasionally they both left off their. 
labours and appeared to rest for a short time, and then to return 
to the work with fresh vigour. The object of their building I 
am not sufficiently learned in the natural history of the lamprey 
to divine; but I conclude that their work had something to do 
with the placing of their spawn. I had, however, a good oppor- 
tunity of watching them, as the water was quite clear and shal- 
low, and they were so intent upon what they were at, that they 
took no notice whatever of me. I had intended to examine the 
little heaps of stones which they had made, but going from home 
the next day put it out of my recollection, and I lost the oppor- 
tunity. It seems, however, so singular a mancouvre on the part 
of fish to build p regular little pyramids of gravel, bringing 
