No. 5 (1921) MADRAS AQUARIUM 65 



Atlantic, to the north-east of the Bahama Islands. The journey the 

 young eels have to make to reach European rivers, is the longest 

 migration known among the young of any animal. 



Closely related to the eels, but without their interesting life 

 story are the Muracna group. These Sea-eels (Tam. Kadal 

 vilaugu), as they may be termed, in contradistinction to the ordinary 

 eel, which lives the greater part of its life in freshwater, are many 

 in species and wonderfully varied in their colouring. Some are 

 minutely spotted, others of black or brown colour are covered with 

 a network of white or of orange lines, others are blotched and 

 marbled. Some are nearly black, others orange yellow and many 

 brownish in general tinting. They differ markedly from the 

 ordinary eel in having no pectoral fins. 



Were it not for their cruel faces, they might be termed 

 handsome. Their looks do not belie them ; they are indeed cruel, 

 ever hungry, ever on the watch for the unwary fish or crab. 

 Their chosen home is among rocks. The honeycombed surface 

 of a dead coral-reef is a favourite haunt, and I have actually 

 been snapped at by one of these vicious creatures when walking 

 over rocks at low tide. The beast heard my footsteps and 

 suddenly darted his head out of the little pool where he lay and 

 snapped at my foot. In this aquarium they show a peculiar 

 gregarious habit. Till recently they were kept with the sea- 

 snakes in tank No. I. On one occasion, a new comer was put 

 provisionally in No. 3 tank ; the next morning it was with its 

 fellows in No. I tank. The attendant averred that this was a 

 common habit, so, to test it further, another muraena was taken 

 from tank No. i and placed in tank No. 3 ; it was restless from the 

 first and, before long, came to the surface alongside the party wall 

 dividing it from tank No. 2, reared its head and neck high 

 enough up to get a purchase on the edge of the wall, and thereby 

 pulled its body well up and then slid over into tank No. 2; repeat- 

 ing the process at the other side of this tank, it won home to its 

 companions. In spite of this wish to be together, a smaller 

 individual runs the risk of being devoured by his brethren if they 

 be hungry. 



Roman epicures were extremely fond of the muraena ; these fish 

 were kept by the rich in stew-ponds and there are stories of the 

 throwing of slaves into the muraena ponds as food for these 

 voracious brutes. 

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