I*L AT E LXXXI. 
the mouth of this fish possesses is astonishing : it has been ascertained 
by experiment, that when once it has securely affixed itself by the 
mouth to a stone, or other heavy body, it will retain its hold for 
a considerable space of time, even when lifted up by the tail with 
the object twice or thrice its own weight suspended to it by this means. 
This tenacious property must afford the animal a powerful and almost 
invincible advantage in seizing upon its prey. Independently of 
this, it is a fish endowed with much strength, and remarkable for 
its activity both in the water, and on the shore, where it occasionally 
prowls in search of worms, and other objects of food. The colour of 
this species appears to vary materially at various seasons, and at 
different periods of growth : the specimen from which our figure 
is copied was of a bright green, tinged with blue, yellow, and 
reddish, and marbled in an elegant manner with black ; and those 
colours, the green especially, prevailed so strongly as to be 
retained in the specimen after remaining some months in spirits. 
Cther Lampreys have been seen of a blueish colour, spotted 
with black; olivaceous, with spots of a dusky hue; or pale 
and reddish, marbled with chesnut, instead of black. 
The flesh of the Lamprey is esteemed delicious by many : those 
of a middle size are however most admired for the table, being of 
a milder flavour, and less fat than those of a large size. In early times 
this fish was held in high repute in this country as a luxurious 
article of food, constantly appearing at the splendid ^banquets of the 
great. The partiality of Henry I. King of England, to this favourite 
dish appears, upon the testimony cf the best historians, to have been 
the occasion of his death. Mr. Pennant speaks of it as an ancient 
custom for the City of Gloucester annually to present his Majesty 
