CASTS OF LARGE CONGEES. 63 



Dimn and James Hicks, and weighed 1121bs. On the 

 same night that they caught this extraordinary fish these 

 fishermen caught another of 701bs. and another over 

 601bs. I heard of a large conger behig landed at Fal- 

 mouth whose length was 7ft. 4in. ; girth 2ft. ; and weight 



CONGER EEL. 



72 lbs. In November, 1868, I received from Folkestone 

 a conger which measured 6ffc. 4in., and weighed 501bs. 

 A cast is now in my museum. There are also casts in 

 the museum of a conger from the Lower Shannon, 

 which measured 6ft. 9in. ; girth 20in. 



In November, 1868, I received from Mr. Ledger, of 

 Folkestone, a very large conger. It measured 6 feet 

 4 inches, and weighed SOlbs. within a few ounces ; 

 girth, 21 inches. Three casts of this magnificent fish 

 are in my museum. I have given my reasons in Land 

 and Water for thinking that monster congers may 

 sometimes — nay, often — be the origin of the stories 

 about the " Sea-snake." 



I also receivedfrom Mr. Joseph Eobinson, of Limerick, 

 in June, 1869, a conger caught in the Lower Shannon. 

 It measured 6 feet 9 inches ; greatest girth 20 inches ; 

 it was nearly black. The Folkestone congers are of a 

 grey-slate colour. In Land and Water, No. 178, I have 

 attemi^ted to show that Virgil's sea-snakes, which de- 

 voured Laocoon, might have been suggested to him by 

 having seen some monster congers swimming. 



