230 APODES. 



curved spines (or setce) on the lips ; one row on 

 the upper, and two on the under Hp, (the up- 

 per jaw short and moveable.) The pectoral fin 

 has six radii, besides the leg, if I may so term it, 

 or ambulatory spine. The head and the whole 

 body, except the thorax, are guarded by a coat of 

 mail, consisting of strong bony plates, supporting 

 four longitudinal rows of curved spines on each 

 side ; color of the body bright reddish yellow, ele- 

 gantly variegated with black spots ; the fin red at 

 the extremities. It grows to about a foot in 

 length. 



THE COMMON EEL. 



Eels, when kept in fresh water ponds, grow very 

 large, and are very voracious ; they are known to 

 swallow frogs and lizards whole, which have been 

 found in opening large ones. A gentleman at 

 Twickenam, England, had a large pond, on which 

 he bred a number of ducks and geese. He was 

 much astonished by the disappearance of large 



