288 ANGUILLIDJ5. 



these being deeply imbedded in mucous skin. Gill-covers they 

 have none, the gill-openings are small, before, and rather below 

 the origin of the pectoral fins. The dorsal fin extends above 

 two-thirds, and the anal above one-half the length of the whole 

 fish, both united at the end, and forming a tail. The lateral 

 line exhibits a series of mucous orifices. 



The general coloui' is hair-brow^n, varying to glossy bluish 

 green, above, and coppery yellow varying to silver white below, 

 according to the purity and brightness of the waters which they 

 inhabit. 



They may be taken with a hook and angle-worm, but it is a 

 nasty slimy business, and affords no sport to compensate the 

 disagreeable nature of the labour. The Eel-spear, the set-line, 

 or the Eel-pot, is the true mode of taking them, and their true 

 place is not in the creel of the genuine angler, but on the 

 board of tlie elaborate epicure, en matelotte, or a la tartare, 

 according to individual preference. 



With this fish, our list of the soft-rayed species is brought to 

 a close, and I shall now proceed to the Acaiithopterygii, or 

 spiny-finned fishes, among which are several of our finest 

 species, both of fresh and salt water, both for sport in the 

 water, and excellence on the table. 



