Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/336

322 means, the formation of a fit receptacle for the deposited spawn. The Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus, ) ascends the rivers of Scotland to breed about the end of June, and remains in them until August. These fishes "are not furnished with any elongation of the jaw, afforded to most of our freshwater fish, to form the receiving furrows at this important season; but the want is supplied by their sucker-like mouth, by which they individually remove each stone. Their power is immense. Stones of a very large size are transported, and a large furrow is soon formed. They remain in pairs, two on each spawning place, and while there employed, retain themselves affixed by the mouth to a large stone."

The curious sucking-mouth is also serviceable to these fishes in enabling them to prey upon other fishes, which otherwise they would be ill-calculated to molest. They are known to attack fishes of large size, by fastening upon their flesh, and while affixed eating away the soft parts down to the bone, with their numerous small rasp-like teeth.

This species is called the Sea Lamprey to distinguish it from another, the River Lamprey, called also Lampern (P. fluviatilis). The latter is a permanent inhabitant of fresh water, but the former only ascends the rivers to spawn. Both are in high repute for the table, but the Lamprey is of much more value than the Lampern, on account of its superior size. It attains two or three feet in length; its ground colour is olive, handsomely spotted and mottled with deep green and dark brown; the edges of the fins are reddish; and the eyes are golden.