GEN. MUR^ENA. COMMON MUR^NA. 265 



boat with three men to bring on shore from five 

 hundred weight to two tons as the produce of one 

 night's fishing ! Long lines called bulters are em- 

 ployed, and the ordinary bait is a pilchard; the 

 French fishermen, however, prefer the sand-launce 

 as a bait, its shining silvery lustre rendering it par- 

 ticularly attractive. 



Gen. XCII. MUR^NA. Of this genus, which 

 is distinguished chiefly by the absence of pectoral 

 fins, we have only one British representative, and 

 that must be ranked among the rarest visitors to 

 our shores, namely, 



(Sp. 196.) M. Helena. Common, or Roman 

 Muraena. There is only one instance on record of 

 its occurrence in Britain, Mr. Couch having obtained 

 a specimen from a fisherman of Polperro, caught on 

 the 8th October, 1834. It is very plentiful in the 

 Mediterranean, and is the murcena so highly prized 

 by the ancient Romans, who kept them in their 

 vivaria almost in a tame state, and carefully fat- 

 tened them for the table. The flesh is white, fat, 

 and of very agreeable flavour. The fish is said to 

 thrive equally well in salt and fresh water, although 

 it never occurs naturally in the latter. The ordi- 

 nary length is between three and four feet, and ex- 

 amples are sometimes met with weighing between 

 twenty and thirty pounds. It is fished for with 

 lines, and is rather difficult to capture. It is vora- 

 cious, bites severely, and can live a long while out 

 of its natural element. The colours and markings 

 are extremely beautiful, and in connexion with the 



