SEA LAMPllEY. 
387 
water, its supposed marine practises were unknown or forgotten, 
and it assumed names according to the likeness it was believed 
to bear to some more familiarly-known fishes. Ray, in his 
little work, “Nonienclator Classicus,” very properly finds fault 
with those English writers, especially the poets, who have 
translated the Latin name of the fish Muracna by the English 
term Lamprey, which John Jones, the translater of Oppiiin, 
always does, as do others since his day, although these fishes 
are different in every respect. Yet Rondeletius is sufficient 
authority for saying that the Sea Lamprey was sometimes called 
Mursena simply, or Murcena Jlmiatilis — the River Murccna; 
but he distinguishes it by an anatomical difference in the 
head from the Murrena of the sea, of which we have already 
given an account; and, skilful as he was as a naturalist, he 
thinks the comparison of one with the other not amiss. There 
is some probability also in the opinion that the Lamprey is 
mentioned by Ausonius under the name of Mustella in the 
following verses. 
“All through the ponds of Ister’s double name, 
Frothing the surface the Mustella came; 
Watched by observant eyes it holds its way, 
And safely shelters in our favoured bay; 
Bringing new riches to the wide Moselle; 
And its bright beauties who can paint or tell? 
On breadth of heavenly blue are dots of black. 
Each circled yellow through the luscious track 
Along the slippery surface of its back. 
From head to vent it suits the nicest taste, 
But all behind is dry, and thrown to waste.” 
Cuvier is of opinion that the Mustella of Ausonius, here 
described, is the Burbolt; but it appears a sufficient objection 
to this, that the Burbolt never migrates to the salt water, as 
the Mustella is represented to do; and yet that the name has 
also been applied to the last-named fish is not only rendered 
probable by the fact that it is still called Motella in some parts 
of France, hut it is countenanced even by Pliny, if we admit 
an amendment of the ordinary text of this writer. He says 
that the fish which is next in esteem (to the Scams) for the 
table is the Mustella; but in contradiction to Ausonius, only 
for its liver; and further that those of the lake of Brigantia in 
the middle of the Alps are rivals to those of the sea. But the 
Burbolt cannot live in the sea. It has been suggested, therefore. 
