Grayling, may be
seen rising by dozens at the small flies (midges) which abound in
sunny weather, yet the angler is unable to hook a single fish.
First-rate anglers are well aware of this, and abandon their
larger flies as the summer advances, use smaller hooks, dress
their flies much finer, and substitute horsehair for the fishing-
gut, when they can procure it of good quality.

* * * * *

LAMPREYS.

Lampreys abound in the Ribble. Some of them, of the large species
(_Petromyzon marinus_), weigh three and four pounds each, [12] but
owing to a prejudice against them (I suppose on account of their
ugliness) they are seldom eaten. I will illustrate this prejudice
by giving the remark of a keen fisherman to myself, on my saying
that I should eat a large one I had just caught. "Well," said he,
"if you can manage to eat such a thing as that, you would not
stick at devouring a child in the small-pox." This, if not an
elegant, was at least a forcible expression of his opinion on the
subject, and this dislike of them is almost universal in this
neighbourhood. (Jan. 17th 1832.)

"An Old Angler," in the "Magazine of Natural History," having
questioned the assertion of Sir Everard Home that the Lamprey was
hermaphrodite--in fact, that all were spawners and emitted eggs--
the following was addressed to the "Magazine of Natural History":--

When I had the pleasure of writing to you before, I had either
overlooked or forgotten the queries of "An Old Angler" respecting
the Lamprey. However, your remarks have induced me to pay a little
more attention to the subject. I can now confirm in the strongest
and most conclusive manner the supposition of "An Old Angler" that
the sexes are as distinct in the Lamprey as they are in the Cod or
Herring. How so distinguished an anatomist as Sir Everard Home
fell into such a mistake, it is not for me to say; but I am as
certain that the sexes are distinct in the Lamprey as that they
are so in any other animal, and I will now give my reasons for
making this positive assertion.

On the 8th of May, chancing to cross a small stream, I saw a
number of Lampreys in the act of spawning, and remembering the
queries of your correspondent, I stood to watch their motions.
After observing them for some time, I observed one twist its tail
round another in such a manner, and they both stirred up the sand
and small gravel from the bottom in such a way, as convinced me it
was a conjunction of the sexes. Howe