MUD-LOVING FISHES. 391 
attention called to the stone cat-fish ( Noturus gyrinus), from 
the Delaware Water Gap, Warren County, New J ersey. Be- 
sides the specimens from this locality in the Museum of 
the Philadelphia Academy we have seen one living specimen 
in an aquarium, taken in the Assunpink Creek at its mouth. 
This is the only living specimen taken in New Jersey that 
we have ever seen, but learn that it is common in some of 
the rocky creeks in the northern part of the State. 
The Eel (Anguilla tenuirostris), as elsewhere we suppose, 
is abundant in all our water courses. A careful examination 
of specimens from various localities, and comparison of re- 
ports of local fishermen, tend to the fact (?) that the largest 
eels are to be found in the rivers and streams directly tribu- - 
tary to them ; and that in isolated mill-ponds far distant from 
the main water courses, they are not so large or numerous. 
We do not admit that such is really the case, but it does 
appear to be true. The experience of other observers would 
be interesting to know; and how large do our various spe- 
cies of Anguilla grow, as found in fresh-water? In the 
Delaware and its many small tributaries we find the Lamprey 
(Petromyzon nigricans) very abundant. Although occasion- 
ally found sticking to the sides of large fish, shad, rock-fish, 
white-perch and chub, they do not appear to feed upon fish 
thus exclusively. We have frequently found a large quantity 
of them adhering to the carcasses of dogs and other drowned 
animals, and judge that they subsist upon dead, rather than 
living animal matter. In an aquarium they adhere to the 
glass sides and remove the green scum very effectually, but 
whether they devour it or not we could not ascertain. We 
ve known the Lampreys to suck their way up the facing 
of mill dams and so wander far up from the river. In suc 
cases they bury themselves in the mud, in the winter, as do 
eels instead of following the river out into the sea. 
