CONGER. 307 







reference to the whole length : the distance to the origin of 

 the pectoral fin is as two to thirteen ; to the commencement 

 of the dorsal fin, as one to five ; and to the vent, as two to 

 five. 



The head is long and depressed : the upper jaw the long- 

 est ; both jaws furnished with strong teeth, forming a broad 

 band in each : the lips fleshy : the nostrils double ; the most 

 anterior near the edge of the lip, and tubular ; the other a 

 simple orifice : numerous mucous pores about the parts of 

 the mouth and head : the mouth deeply divided, making the 

 gape long ; the angle forming a tangent with the posterior 

 edge of the pupil : the eyes large ; body nearly cylindrical ; 

 dorsal fin commencing but little behind the pectorals, ex- 

 tending along four-fifths of the whole length of the body ; 

 anal fin commencing immediately behind the vent, and ex- 

 tending along three-fifths of the whole, and joining the dor- 

 sal fin, forms a pointed tail. 



The colour of the upper surface of the body is a uniform 

 pale brown, becoming lighter on the lower part of the sides, 

 and passing into dull white underneath ; the dorsal and anal 

 fins whitish, edged with black ; lateral line almost white. 



The notion entertained by some, that river Eels on going 

 to the sea remain there and become Congers, scarcely re- 

 quires a serious remark. No one who looks for specific dis- 

 tinctions can fail to observe them when comparing either of 

 our fresh-water Eels with the Conger. These differences, 

 which extend to colour, form of body, and situation of fins, 

 receive further confirmation on examining their internal struc- 

 ture : independent of comparative difference of relative posi- 

 tion in some of the most important of the viscera, the great- 

 est number of vertebrae found in our fresh- water Eels is 116, 

 those of the Conger amount to 156. 



