384 FISHES. 



in a nest of seaweed. Conger-fishers know from experience 

 that there are few better baits for the eel than a rockling 

 of any species and about 5 inches in length. This might 

 at first give rise to surprise at the rockling choosing the 

 same time as the larger fish to be abroad ; but it is to be 

 remembered that, as pike-fishers have known all time, pre- 

 datory fish have a special weakness for sickly or wounded 

 fishes, and it does not by any means follow that the rock- 

 lings, acceptable though they be when impaled on the 

 hook, form the conger's natural food. 



CHAPTER XV. THE SAND-EELS AND 

 ALLIED FORMS. 



The five fishes that compose this group are, for all the 

 external dissimilarity, somewhat closely allied to the 

 cod family. With the true eels they have nothing in 

 common; both their appearance and their action in the 

 water are quite distinct. 



The most familiar at many of our watering-places is 

 the small silvery Launce, which attains a length of over i 

 foot, but is more commonly found measuring 

 less than half. In colour it is bright green, 

 with a silvery band on the sides and a black spot on the 

 head; and it may be further distinguished by the pro- 

 jecting, horny-tipped lower jaw and the two sharp teeth 

 in the upper. Throughout the summer months these 

 little fish forgather at the surface, often in company with 

 the next and with sand -smelts, feeding on floating fry 

 and other organisms. They are bold and pugnacious, 

 and when they are minded to take every baited hook, 

 the atherines seem to know that they stand no chance, 



