LITTLE SHORE-EELS. TRUE EELS. 43 



CHAPTER III. 



The Little Shore-Eels The True Eels The Australian Minnows - 

 The " Grayling " Family The Scopeloids The Lancet-Fishes Nota- 

 canthoid Fishes The Fierasferoids Flute-Mouths or Tobacco-Pipe 

 Fishes Bellows-Fishes or Sea-Snipes Sea-Horses and Pipe-Fishes 

 Sea- Dragons. 



THE LITTLE SHORE-EELS. 



( Family : Symbrancliidce) . 



ONLY two species of these peculiar little fishes inhabit the 

 coasts of Australia ; the principal one being- the little 

 Banded Shore - Eel (Cheilobranchns rnfus). This is 

 a very small fish, attaining a length of about 4 inches. It 

 varies considerably in colouration, according to location. 

 On the shores of Port Jackson, and in other localities, it 

 is quite common just below low-tide mark, amongst sea- 

 weed, in rock crevices or empty oyster-shells. 



One species of these symbranchoid eels, which is found 

 in fresh-water streams of Central America, attains a length 

 of 5 feet. 



THE TRUE EELS. 



(Families: AnguilUdce and Murcenidce.') 



ABOUT 270 species of these Eels are known from various 

 parts of the world, some of which are found in water having 

 the immense depth of 2500 fathoms. 



Many species of eels are found in the waters both 

 fluviatile and marine of Australia. As but little is known 

 in regard to their distribution and occurrence in the other 

 States, I must here confine my remarks chiefly to those of 

 New South Wales. Of the first family, the principal kinds 

 are the Common Eel* (Anguilla reinhardtii}, also 



* This Eel may possibly be specifically identical with a common Indian 

 Eel Anyuilla bengalensis but it does not agree with Day's description of 

 the latter (Fishes of India, p. 659). 



