240 PHYSOSTOMI. 



Genus I Anguilla. 



MurcencB, sp. Artedi. Terpolepis, pt., McClelland. Paranguilla, Bleeker. 



Gill-openings of moderate extent, situated near the base of the pectoral fins. 

 Tipper jaw not projecting beyond the lower. Teeth small and in bands. Dorsal fin 

 commencing at some distance behind the nape : pectorals present. Small scales 

 imbedded in the skin. 



Geographical distribution. Fishes of this genus appear to be distributed 

 throughout the fresh waters of the habitable globe, being reputed to be absent 

 only from the Arctic regions, and intensely cold districts such as Turkestan, and 

 a few other localities. 



Species. As may be perceived by the most casual observer, these fishes have 

 been subdivided to such an extent tbat it is difficult to comprehend the plans 

 upon which authors have founded their species. Yarrell divided the British 

 forms into the "sharp-nosed eels," "the broad-nosed eels," and "the snig," 

 observing that in the comparative breadth of the nose (snout) the last is inter- 

 mediate between the other two. Giinther remarked " the form of the snout, the 

 size of the eyes, and the width of the bands of teeth, are evidently subject to 

 much variation," and subsequently continued, " I am more inclined to consider 

 the situation of the origin of the dorsal fin and the development of the lips to 

 indicate a distinct species," and following out this method of division he looks 

 upon A. latirostris as an inhabitant of Europe, the Nile, China, New Zealand, 

 and the West Indies ; and A. vulgaris as resident in Europe to 60 30' N. Lat. 

 but found neither in the Danube nor in the Black or Caspian Seas, Mediterranean 

 region, Northern Asia, or North America, while he considered these two to 

 constitute the sole British species. It has appeared to myself, while examining 

 numerous eels of this genus in Asia, that considerable local and individual 

 variations occur as to the position of the origin of the dorsal fin and the compara- 

 tive proportional size of one part of the body to the remainder, rendering this 

 character by no means symptomatic of species. 



Habits. Eels are very tenacious of life, are found in nearly all our fresh 

 waters, and during their feeding months are exceedingly voracious. In an 

 account of some domesticated examples of this genus kept in a pond in a walled 

 garden for nine or ten years,* they were observed to remain torpid throughout the 

 winter, and although they occasionally emerged at the bottom of the water from 

 under the large stones which formed their hiding places, they did not feed. 

 About the latter end of April they first began to take worms, but ate sparingly 

 until the warm weather set in, when they became quite insatiable (in some waters 

 they commence feeding certainly as early as March), while if no other food 

 was procurable they devoured one another ; they also consumed fish roe and occa- 

 sionally vegetable substances. About August they become restless, apparently 

 attempting to migrate to the sea, and at the end of that month or during 

 September they retired to their winter quarters. Eels usually make two migra- 

 tions yearly, one in the spring as April or May, when the young, termed Elvers, 

 ascend from the sea and estuaries up rivers. Couch states that " very young eels 

 have been obtained at the ebb of the tide as early as the 2nd of January ; after 

 watching a river with great care they have not been observed passing up the 

 stream until the middle of March, and rarely even then." The second migration 

 is from the fresh waters to the sea and takes place in the autumn, this is 

 performed by adults for the purpose of depositing their spawn, when they select 

 the mixed water at the confluence of the fresh and salt, where the temperature is 

 a few degrees higher than that in the vicinity. 



On the banks of the Thames the migration of the young eels is termed 

 "Eel-fare," "fare" being a Saxon or Anglo-Saxon term signifying "to go" or 

 to travel," and Yarrell suggests that the term " Elver " is a corruption of 

 eel-fare." Eels do not like a muddy condition of the water, in fact, old ones 



* Edinburgh New Phil. Journal, 1841, p. 439. 



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