CASTS OF LARGE CONGERS. G3 



Dimn and James Hicks, and -weighed 1121bs. On the 

 same night that they caught this extraordinary fish these 

 fishermen caught another of 701bs. and another over 

 601bs. I heard of a large conger being hmded at Fal- 

 mouth whose length was 7ft. 4in. ; girth 2ft. ; and weight 



CONGEE EEL. 



721bs. In November, 1868, I received from Folkestone 

 a conger which measured Gf t. 4in. , and weighed 501bs. 

 A cast is now in my museum. There are also casts in 

 the museum of a conger from the Lower Shannon, 

 which measured 6ft. 9in. ; girth 20in. 



In November, 1868, I received from Mr. Ledger, of 

 Folkestone, a very large conger. It measured 6 feet 

 4 inches, and weighed 50lbs. within a few ounces ; 

 girth, 21 inches. Three casts of this magnificent fish 

 are in my museum. I have given my reasons in Land 

 and Water for thinking that monster congers may 

 sometimes — nay, often — be the origm of the stories 

 about the " Sea-snake." 



I also receivedfrom Mr. Joseph Eobinson, of Limerick, 

 in June, 1869, a conger caught in the Lower Shannon. 

 It measured 6 feet 9 inches ; greatest girth 20 inches ; 

 it was nearly black. The Folkestone congers are of a 

 grey-slate colour. In Land and Water, No. 178, I have 

 attemx:)ted to show that Virgil's sea-snakes, which de- 

 voured Laocoon, might have been suggested to him by 

 having seen some monster congers swimming. 



