THE LAMPREY. 
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 5th March, 1835, I made the following note in reference to the 
living specimens 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 
whether 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 does 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. Ammoccetes branchialis. The specimen in spirits agrees pre- 
cisely with Fleming’s description of this species. 
With the fig. of Petromyzon ccecus (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 papillae. In other particulars it agrees 
with Couch’s description ; my specimen 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 this species in his Catalogue, and Dr. It. 
Ball notes it as occurring at Dublin and Youghal. 
The Myxine, Glutinous Hag, or Borer, Myxine glutinosa, Linn., 
Gastrobranchus ccecus, 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 : — 
“ Myxine (Linn.), glutinosa Linn., has been found at Carrickfergus.” 
