3 i2 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



therein. Templeton observes that a vessel loaded with salt 

 herrings was wrecked off the coast of Rathlin : congers 

 gorged themselves, and great numbers died and were 

 washed ashore for several days after this unlucky feast 

 In the Moray Firth fishermen assert that they are fond 

 of swimming after newly tarred boats. Off the coast of 

 Cornwall a number of congers were opened for the purpose 

 of ascertaining upon what they had been feeding, and the 

 following contents were observed in their stomachs : 

 wrasses, skulpin, pollack, one-spotted gobies, a father- 

 lasher, lesser forkbeard, sand-launce, pilchards, pipe-fishes, 

 small congers, rocklings, hake, octopus, many forms of 

 crabs, shells, especially whelks, and other animal sub- 

 stances. 



Means of capture. Hooks and lines, either used by the 

 hand, or long lines, with hooks at regular intervals. They 

 are very destructive to nets, and can bite through a rope as 

 thick as a finger. If hooked they twist round and round, 

 and will wrench the hook from out of their jaws. The 

 sand-launce is among the best of baits for these fishes, 

 while it refuses any bait that is not quite or moderately 

 fresh. 



Breeding. Generally in December and January. It is 

 remarkable that although many examples have been kept 

 in aquaria, the females appear almost invariably to die, due 

 to being unable to extrude their ova. This would seem to 

 be consequent upon want of facilities for depositing the 

 eggs, as in some fishes pressure appears to be necessary. 

 As many as 6,336,512 eggs have been observed in one fish. 

 At the Southport Aquarium congers have been observed to 

 increase from 7 Ib. or 8 Ib. weight to 25 Ib. to 30 Ib. 



Uses. The method in which congers used to be cured 



