The leader., 1895-09-17

spices ana vinegar, ana III Is eaten NcTo
to some extent.
When young the lam prey is blind
and toothless. 1t lies buried in moist
sand mixed with mud in small creeks
and rivers. 1t usually rem aims without
teeth and with it's eyes IN rud,msn-
tary state up to the age OF three or four
years, when it Is from one to two feet
in length. The lamprey ct the aqua
rum Is not an adult, but 1t has adult
characteristics as to teeth. When the
lamprey's mouth Is closed Il has a snout
somewhat similar to that of tho eel.
When it is open it is disk within
which appear numerous concentriC
rows of teeth of different shapes and
sizes, some single-pointcd, some having
two points, and some three points. The
teeth are smallest in the outer rows,
aud grow larger the nearer they get I'd
the center. Other teeth on its tongue
are arranged like the teeth of comb;
the upper jaw has n single tooth with
two points close together, and the lower
jaw has toothbearing plate with a
| number of points like the teeth of a
saw.
The lamprey's open mouth makes q
sucking disk by means of which it can
cling fast to any object to which 1t at
taches itself, such as fish or a stone
or the glass of an aquarium tank, as
here shown in the picture. 1t has good
propelling power and is fast swim
mer, but it is seldom found SWIMMING.
When at rest it usually attaches Itself
somewhere, and 1t can hold on against
very strong flow. Lampreys go from
the sea up fresh water streams to
spawn, and with the aid of the disk
| work their way up waterfalls. prac-
tically climbing from rock to rock Ar
irving at their spawning ground they
make nests, which are conicai heaps OF
stone. The eggs, which are small, are
deposited in the crevices. In moving
stones to form the nest two or three
lampreys MAJ fasteti their disks to a
stone weighing two or three pounds
and pull and wriggle, and SO move it
several feet.
When the lamprey has set It's disk on
fish it uses first the teeth Of the up.
per and lower jaws TO cut through the
skin. The tongue teeth are curved
backward slightly at the points, and
with them it holds on. 1t feeds itself
with the rasp-like teeth of the concen.
trio rows. tampreys have been found
inside fish, having burrowed thcit way
in. Usually the lamprey remains
attached apon the outside. After
boring in to the depth of quarter OF
an inch it is likely to shift its position
and attack the fish at another point, let
ting go when it has had enough to eat.
1t attaches itself to surgeons and
| other fish, and holds on with great
tenacity. It's body bends in close to
the body of the fish, and however rap
! idly the fish may swim the lamprey
holds on easily. The fish may try to
detach the lamprey by rubbing against
something, and sometimes 1t succeeds
in this effort, but ofteaer the lamprey
stays. Large surgeons have been
taken with two lampreys attached to
them and with marks showing where
these or other lamprcys had fastened
themselves. Smaller lampreys attack
large herring and menhaden and shad,
and often they kill the fish to which
they attach themselves,
Fishermen dig young lampreys out
of the muddy sand in which they are
buried for use as bait. Whole lam
preys from three to Ave inches In
length make fine bait for trolling for
striped bass; and larger young lampreys
are cut into pieces to bait hooks on set
| lines.
The salt water lamprey has dark,
blush back, with irregular blach
spots. Its under body is grayish white.
or dull pearl in color. The fresh water
lampreys are smaller, and are uniform
In color all around the body. They
nay be of a dark slate color, or Of al.
most chestnut brown. Their teeth
are somewhat differently arranged
| from those of the salt water lamprey,
but they are used In a similar manner.
N. Y. Sunday Sun.