lamper eel n
[. . .]
3 also sp lamp r’eel: A congo eel n 1 or siren n B. Cf lamprey eel n 2
1852 S. Cultivator 10.216, The supposed poisonous “lamper eels,” or very large, amphibious water-lizards, are also innocent. 1872 GA Weekly Telegraph & GA Jrl. (Macon) [23 Apr 8]/3, A “Lamper” eel measuring 34 inches in length, 2½ across the back, the same across the tail, and weighing four pounds, was caught in Houston Factory pond one day last week. 1907 Progressive Farmer (Raleigh NC) 18 Apr 8/1, There are several rather peculiar amphibians found in the Southeastern States that are not very well known. The commonest of these is the Amphiuma which in books is called the Congo Snake, but which is most usually known in the regions where it occurs as Ditch eel, Black Eel, Poison Eel, Lamper Eel, Lampus Eel, or Mud Eel. . . another queer animal is the Siren, which has practically all the same popular names as the Amphiuma, and is a good deal like it. 1920 Copeia 77.6 cNC, They [=Amphiuma means] are universally feared as poisonous, presumably on account of their snake-like form. . . At Greensboro, Alabama, “lamper eel” is the common name. 1920 Copeia 82.41 LA, I collected two specimens of Amphiuma means, and as I kept one alive in a tub for a number of days, visiting neighbors afforded a considerable collection of local names. These were Lamp Eel, Lamphe Eel, Lamper Eel and Lamprey Eel. 1925 TX Folkl. Soc. Pub. 4.51 eTX, LA, Throughout the bayou regions of eastern Texas and Louisiana the bite of the “lamper (lamprey?) eel” is thought to be deadly. . . The innocent subject of this myth is the so-called great siren, Siren lacertina. 1935 Amer. Midland Naturalist 16.275 seGA, It [=Amphiuma means] is reported from the St. Mary’s River near St. George as “Lamper Eel,” and from Camden County as “Lampus Eel.” Ibid 16.277, Siren [intermedia] is a common animal in the lakes and cypress ponds of Okefinokee Swamp. The name of “Lamper Eel” seems to be given to it by some, who may not clearly distinguish it from the Amphiuma. 1945 Nature Mag. 38.136 ceGA, Many passers-by heard of the strange creature [=Siren lacertina] in my aquarium, and came to see it, or to repeat some local bit of lore. The common name seemed to be “lampus-eel” or “lamper-eel,” which would equally fit this species or Amphiuma. 1945 Reelfoot L. Biol. Sta. Report 9.56 wTN, At Reelfoot Lake the common name [for Amphiuma] is lamper eel. 1953 Schmidt N. Amer. Amphibians 27, Amphiuma means. . . Lamp or lamper eel. Ibid 28, Amphiuma means tridactylum. . . Lamp eel, lamper eel [Louisiana] . . three-toed amphiuma. 1962 Miami News (FL) 7 Oct mag sec 3/1, They slithered in and out of the fresh diggings like elongated black otters, occasionally making sporting forays to within inches of the churning bucket. “I call them muck snakes,” Ralph explained. “Lots of people down here call them lamp r’eels. But up home [=seGA] what we call lamp r’eels is altogether different.” 1966 DARE (Qu. P3) Inf MS16, Lamper eel. 1969 DARE File Okefenokee GA, Lamper eel, or eel . . a round-bodied creature, about 5′ long [sic], with little black pieces sticking out behind the head. 1986 Magee Courier (MS) 20 Mar sec B 1/3, I pulled it up and gosh, there hung something long like a snake with legs. . . R. J. and Euell “knew” everything! They said it was a Lamper eel and I did not argue.