178 SALT-WATER FISHES 



squid or pilchard coated with iodoform, camphor, cheese, and 

 even balanoglossus, the last named having a most offensive 

 odour. 



The conger is probably among the least migratory of 

 our sea-fish. It is true that congers are caught with the hook 

 only during summer and autumn, but this restriction of the 

 fishery to only half the year is in all probability in great 

 measure the doing of the fishermen rather than of the fish 

 themselves. Although a stationary fish, the conger is very 

 widely distributed in the world's seas, our own species being 

 found in localities so far apart as Japan and Tasmania. 



The conger feeds on all manner of fishes, crustaceans, and 

 molluscs, crabs and squid being perhaps its fiivourite food. 

 As to the smaller fishes on which it feeds, preference is given to 

 those whose form favours easy digestion by a fish of this shape, 

 and consequently smaller congers, pipe-fishes, and rocklings are 

 among its favourite victims. It is also said to prey on flat-fish, 

 but this may be doubted, at any rate where there is a choice of 

 round fish, tor a comparatively small flat-fish might easily, by 

 sticking crosswise, choke a comparatively large conger. On 

 the other hand, the conger has a ^q^v formidable enemies, 

 among which we know of the torpedo and the various porpoises 

 and dolphins, all of which are fond of hustling and swallowing 

 congers. Shags and cormorants are often seen engaged in 

 combat with congers. Doubtless they seize them in the first 

 instance for the same reason as prompts the conger to seize the 

 rockling — the shape is convenient. Then, however, the struggle 

 commences ; and the writer once watched a battle between a 

 cormorant and a conger which lasted the best part of a quarter 

 of an hour, at the end of which the eel was finally swallowed. 



Undoubtedly the most interesting aspect of the conger, at 

 least for the naturalist, is its breeding. It is unnecessary 

 to recapitulate the many legends of other days, by which 

 attempts were made to explain the mysterious reproduction 

 of eels. Suffice it to say that no theory seemed too fantastic 



