SNIG EEL. 331 



SNIG EEL. 



AngiuIIa mediorostris, Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 401. 



It seems generally allowed that there are not known any- 

 certain external characters by which the Eel thus designated 

 by Mr. Yarrell may be definitely distinguished from others; it 

 therefore becomes a question how far the difference between 

 them in the processes of the vertebrce, and their entire absence 

 in this species on the first five of these bones from the head, 

 can be relied on as furnishing a sure and constant mark of its 

 distinction from the others. I have seen Mr. Yarrell's specimens 

 when in that gentleman's possession, and it is believed that 

 they are now in the collection of the British Museum; but 

 some hesitation on the subject still remains, since there does 

 not exist any external mark by Avhich this kind is to be readily 

 recognised. We therefore content ourselves with observing that 

 this so-called Snig Eel is supposed to be generally of smaller 

 size than the others ; and that more particularly where in the 

 other Eels the first vertebrse from the head are strongly armed 

 with elevated and diverging processes, to the latter of which 

 the ribs are attached, in the Snig there are none, but that the 

 vertebrae are almost entirely smooth. A question arises whether 

 this may be the fish which Mr. Jago, at the end of Ray's 

 "Synopsis Piscium," has termed a Free Eel, ( AtiguiUa libera; J 

 and of which he says, "A Congro differt sapore jucundiore, 

 et ossiculorum defectu, quibus Congri abundant;" this supposed 

 absence of ribs has not otherwise been noticed. 



But while leaving these matters for further inquiry, we venture 

 to bring forward the claim of another supposed species, which 



has been called by the name of Grigg, and which Mr. Yarrell 



