FISHES AND FISHING. 161 



covered with a smooth skin of a bluish lead colour, 

 and entirely destitute of scales. The head is equal in 

 size to the largest part of the body, but somewhat 

 flat on the upper and lower sides, and its upper sur 

 face is perforated with several holes like those of a 

 lamprey eel; the upper and under jaws extend an 

 equal distance, terminating in a semi- circular shape, 

 and forming a wide mouth without teeth ; on the 

 back part of the head are two small fins, one on each 

 side, which, like the ears of a horse, are either ele 

 vated or depressed, as the fish is pleased or displeased. 

 From about eight inches below the head, the body 

 gradually diminishes in size to the tail, which ends 

 in a point without a fin. Under the belly is a fleshy 

 fin, about half an inch in thickness, and near three 

 inches wide, extending from the head to the point of 

 the tail, but diminishing in width as the body dimin 

 ishes in size ; this, with the two fins on the head, 

 are all that are found on the body of the eel, 

 which would be nearly round if deprived of the belly 

 fin. 



This fish frequently respires, and elevates his head 

 above the surface of the water every four or five 

 minutes for that purpose. When it is touched with 

 the naked hand, or by a rod of any metal, or even a 

 stick of some heavy kind of American wood, it com 

 municates a shock perfectly resembling electricity, 



