SOFT-RAYED BONY FISHES 97 



favourite bait on the Florida coast is the Blue Crab. The 

 record fish was taken in the Panuco River, Mexico, in 1934 ; 

 it was y\ feet long and weighed 2425 lb. This fish, however, is 

 considerably smaller than one that was netted by native 

 fishermen in Florida in 1912, which was more than 8 feet in 

 length, and was estimated to weigh 350 lb. 



It is of interest to note that living Tarpon have been kept in 

 the aquarium at New York on at least three occasions, and 

 have survived in captivity for as long as two months. 



The Tarpon has received a number of vernacular names. 

 In Marcgrave's ' History of Brazil ' (1648). it is called " Camari- 

 puguacu " ; in 1675 it is referred to by Dampier as the 

 " Tarpom ", a name that was also used by Roman in 1775. 

 Among other names may be mentioned " savanilla ", " savale ", 

 " savalo " (or " sabalo "), " caffum " (in Barbados), "grand 

 ecaille ", and " silver king ". The name Tarpon (or Tarpom 

 or Tarpum) is perhaps of Indian origin. 



CONGER EELS. 

 (Family Congrid^. Genus Conger.) Fig. 35. 

 Eels with a long, scaleless body, which is rounded in front 

 and compressed behind, and with a large head, pointed in 

 front and flattened above. The eyes are large. The mouth is 

 wide, extending at least as far as the level of the middle of the 

 eye. The teeth are arranged in several rows in both jaws, 

 those of the outer row being set so close together that they 

 form an almost continuous cutting edge ; there is a short 

 band of teeth on the roof of the mouth. The tongue is free in 

 front. The gill-openings are rather large and extend well 

 downwards. The dorsal, caudal and anal fins are all joined 

 to form a single continuous fringing fin, which begins above 

 the pectoral fin and extends round the end of the tail. The 

 pectoral fins are rather large, but, as in all living eels, there are 

 no pelvic fins. A lateral line runs along the middle of each 

 side. An air-bladder is present, and is connected with the 

 gullet by a duct. The coloration is usually uniformly greyish 

 or blackish, becoming pale grey or white on the belly, but it 

 may be dark brown or black all over. The edges of the 

 fringing fins are black, except in very large specimens. Young 



