304 MU R.ENID*:. 



APODAL 



MALACOPTERYGJI. MUR&NID&. 



THE CONGER. 



Conger vulgaris, Le Congre, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 350. 



Conger, WILLUGHBY, p. Ill, G. 6. 



Mur&na Conger, ,, LINNAEUS. BLOCK, pt. v. pi. 155. 



,, Conger Eel, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 196. 



DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 119. 

 ,, FLEM. Brit. An. p. 200, sp. 110. 



Generic Characters. The dorsal fin commences much nearer the head than 

 in the fresh-water Eels ; the upper jaw the longest ; in other respects resembling 

 the genus Anguilla. 



THE CONGER EEL is a marine species well-known on 

 all the rocky parts of the coast of the British Islands, but 

 nowhere more abundant than on the coast of Cornwall. 



Mr. Low says, "It is found very frequently round the 

 Orkney Islands : some are caught at the fishermen's lines ; 

 but the otter is by far the most successful in killing Congers. 

 He brings them ashore, and eats but a very small part, 

 leaving the rest for the next comer ; and where his haunts are 

 known, the country people are very careful every morning to 

 search for the remains of the night, and are seldom disap- 

 pointed, but find Cod, Ling sometimes, but especially Con- 

 gers, which are oftener seen amongst the deep hollows of the 

 rocks than farther to sea." 



