THE POISON OF THE MURRY 



large, half-closed mouth in which can be distinguished 

 the fang-like teeth with which it is equipped; black, 

 glittering eyes; an attitude which, despite its im- 

 mobility, we feel to be somehow aggressive, give them 

 a quarrelsome sort of expression and. make them seem 

 vicious. They do, indeed, look as if they deserved their 

 evil reputation. 



The placid-looking congers which are often to be 

 seen in the same tank belong to the same group and 

 obviously live in the same sort of way — but seem even 

 more peaceful than ever, like a quiet little lap-dog 

 beside a savage mastiff. The murry, although motion- 

 less, although only its head and neck are to be seen, 

 is like a mastiff. We feel that it is on the alert, ready 

 to bite. 



This feeling is intensified, though its nature is 

 slightly changed, when one of these murry leaves its 

 lair and swims about the tank. Then we are surprised 

 by its stoutness, the size of its body, the richness of 

 its colouring. The slender, pointed head is out of 

 proportion to the rest: the neck and the trunk are 

 thicker. There is a breadth about it which we did 

 not anticipate. If the murry resemble the congers 

 and common eels as regards length and in the sinuous 

 nature of their movements, they possess unusual strength 

 and suppleness. They may lack the pectoral fins which 

 others have: they may only have, on their backs and be- 

 neath their bellies, narrow folds in the place of dorsal 

 and anal fins; but they make up for the absence of these 

 locomotory organs by a flexibility which enables them 

 to move through the water in serpentine curves. The 

 murry is a magnificent creature, powerful, robust, far 

 surpassing its fellow-eels in splendour and vigour. 



It is an interesting sight to watch them, as they 

 move about their tank. They advance, retreat, rise, 

 and swim to the bottom as if gliding through the 

 water, avoiding obstacles, extending and folding 

 again their long bodies with supreme ease. When 

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