MALACOPTERYGII APODES. 545 



by man ; they are taken with the line, or with the same nets 

 as the eels : the lines should be three or four hundred feet in 

 length, charged with lead at one of their extremities, and 

 provided each with twenty-five or thirty small cords with 

 hooks and baits. They are so numerous in the Severn, that, 

 in the interval from one tide to another a single fisherman, 

 with a small hair net, which he puts into the holes where 

 any water has remained, may catch a bushel of young ones, 

 particularly in the month of April. In Sardinia they are 

 caught with nets which are sunk very deep into the sea. The 

 large individuals defend themselves for a long time ; and if 

 they find a body around which they can twist their tail they 

 will sooner suffer their jaw to be plucked away than let go. 

 They possess great tenacity of life. 



We are assured that the gigantic lobsters called palinuri 

 fight the conger with great advantage, tearing open its belly 

 with their claws. The murenophides likewise devour them, 

 and it is not rare to see congers mutilated by them. We are 

 informed that the tail of the conger can be re-produced. 



The flesh of this fish is white and well-flavoured, but as it is 

 very fat it does not agree with all stomachs. 



The ancjents, Oppian in particular, have asserted that it 

 couples after the manner of serpents. It is more than pro- 

 bable that it is ovo-viviparous, but it does not appear that we 

 have as yet any positive proof of this. 



In many places the conger eels are dried for exportation. 

 For this purpose they are cut open in their under part through 

 their entire length, the intestines are removed, deep scarifica- 

 tions are made upon the back, the parts are kept separate by 

 means of small sticks, and they are suspended by the tail to 

 poles or the branches of trees. When they are perfectly dry 

 the}' are collected in packets, each weighing about two hun- 

 dred pounds. 



Redi has found, in several congers which he has dissected, 

 vol. x. N n 



