The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-02
Lamprey Eels as Stone Masona

Among the most remarkable OF the
stone.masons or builders are the lamprey
eels. Of all fishes they would hardly be
accorded any especial intelligence, and
certainly they are repellant creatures, the
long snake-like bodies, the curious
sucker. like mouth being features far from
attractive. Yet the lampreys show not
little intelligence in their work, and
among fishes are most remarkable as,
sstone-toters. When the breeding
time arrives the eels apparently decide to
form a community, all the individuals
working for the common good. II we
watch them carefully we shall see that
they are searching for stones and pebbles.
Many go upstream, and when pebble
of suitable size is found fasten their suck
ing mouth tn il, and lifting it, 60 strug-
Cling down the current to the site Sc
lected, where it is dropped. In the Saco
River, near its mouth, remarkable
tower of this kind can be seen, where
the fishes have undoubtedly been work.
ing for several years. This mound is
fifteen or twenty feet in. length, partly
arched or bent, so that it resembles the
beginning of dam. Some of the stones
are as large as half brick; so heavy, in
fact, that was it not known how they
were transported it would be considered
impossible for fish to have carried them;
but the &C. has been observed. When
the transportation of large stone be-
comes necessary two eels combine forces,
fastening their sucker-like mouths tothe
object, and wriggliug vigorously thus
lifting it from the bottom and aided by
the current, ard with many stops and
rests, bearing it down to the nest where
it's dropped. Scores of eels may be seen
thus employed. Some work singly,
Others by twos, all engaged in .pilling up
the castle that is to be the home fol, their:
little ones. With so many workers we
may we'll expect the stone fortress to
grow rapidly, aud in succeeding years to
attain large size. Finally, after days
of 'stone toting," the nest 10 considered
ready. Now the eels may be seen
about it in numbers, and soon the eggs
are deposited, being washed into the In
terstices of the pile and there finding
protection from SLY and predatory fishes
that prowl about in search of such tid-
bits.
When the eggs hatch and the young
eels appear there is still another surprise.
The close observer might well be misled,
as when the little ones appear to taf1
possession OF the fortress, they do not re-;
semble the parents, and for long time
were considered separate and distinct
fishes, and called amorcites. For three
years they are singular little creatures,
the mouth toothless and surrounded byj
little feelers, even the eyes that are minute
being covered over with layer of skin.
Finally the young lampreYs assume the
form of their parents, and are ready to1
begin castle building themselves.
The nests of lampreys differ to some
extent in different localities. Thus some
have been seen to dig holes and deposit
their egg beneath stones or in various
hooks and corners, illustrating the fact|
that among the very lowest animals wei
find evidence not only Of intelligences|
but an exhibition of care for the young|
that calls to mind many animals much
higher in the scale of ife.-.St. LOUIS Rel
Dablc.