BKOAD-NOSED EKL. 299 



page 185, ami so called by the fishennen from tlie extraor- 

 dinary Avidth of the mouth. 



In its habits the Broad-nosed Eel has not been distin- 

 guished by any peculiarity that I am aware of from the other 

 common Eel ; but it docs not appear to attain so large a size, 

 the largest I have seen not exceeding five pounds in weight. 

 It exists in many of the waters which produce the Sharp- 

 nosed Eel, is much thicker in the body in proportion to its 

 length, and fishermen can distinguish this species readily 

 when fishing in the dark by its more soft and unctuous feci 

 in the hand. 



The term Grig is, however, in and about London, ap- 

 plied to a particular Eel of small size, of which the figure 

 here introduced represents the head. This Eel is the A/i- 



gm'ne plat-bec of Cuvicr, Regne Animal, tom. ii. p. 349, 

 who considers it a distinct species. It is the Grig Eel also 

 of Mrs. Bowdich's British Fresli Water Fishes, No. 28, 

 in which work the three Eels already spoken of here are well 

 figured ; and the species were considered by Cuvier as iden- 

 tical with those of the Regne Animal. 



The name Grig is also applied by Thames fishermen to 

 any small-sized Eel of any species when not longer than 

 eight or nine inches, and of which eight or ten are required 

 to make up a pound weight. 



In a Broad-nosed Eel of twenty-two inches in length, 

 three distances taken from the point of the lower jaw are to 

 the whole length as follows : — to the upper part of the base 



X 2 



