306 



THE FAMILY OF EELS. 



Thk body is much lengthened, covered with a thick and 

 soft skin, without the visible appearance of scales; openings 

 of the gills small and simple. The fins without firm or bony- 

 rays; and in the British species the dorsal and anal fins are 

 united to the tail, thus forming a single fin; no ventral fins, 

 on which account they are termed apodal fishes. Lateral line 

 straight when visible. 



ANGIJILLA. 



In addition to the characters of this family given above, this genus 

 is marked with the presence of pectoral fins, and the openings of the 

 gills on each side close under these fins. Angiiilla, Jonston, pi. 24, 

 f. 7 and 8; "VVilloughby, p. 109, pi. G 5. Murcena anguiUa, Linnajus; 

 Bloch, pi. 72. Murhie anguiUe, Lacepede, who appears undecided 

 whether the Eels named by fishermen were varieties or distinct 

 species; but Cuvier receives them as distinct, with the names 

 AnguiUa verneaux, A. longlcc, A. plathec, and A. pimperneaux. 

 AnguiUa vulgaris, Fleming, British Animals, p. 199. A. acutirostris, 

 Jenyns, Manual, p. 474; Yarrell, British Fishes, vol. ii, p. 381. A. 

 latirostris, Jenyns, Manual, p. 476; Yarrell, British Fishes, vol. ii, p. 

 396. A. mediorostris, Jenyns, Manual, p. 477; Yarrell, British Fishes, 

 vol. ii, p. 399. 



It is to be remarked fliat Aristotle recognised two distinct 

 species of Eels; but his authority, however great, may have 

 been less regarded as he also taught that the propagation of 

 the species was spontaneous, without impregnation, or a 

 difference of sex. 



Indeed while Eels were well known to the Greeks and 

 Romans, these people had generally confused notions of their 

 nature, as whether they were of one or several kinds, their 

 origin and mode of increase, and even concerning their ordinary 

 habits; so- that the only thing in which they appear to have 



