EELS. 275 



hour in clear still summer mornings, from a boat 

 in bays, when they have entered their hiding 

 places in the mud. We believe, however, it may 

 without calumny be said of eels in general, that 

 they afford but slight amusement to those accus- 

 tomed to the more elegant and skilful branches of 



o 



the art. 



The kind called Congers are marine species of 

 great size- and extreme voracity. The common 

 conger eel (Conger Vulgar is, Cuv. Murama Conger, 

 Linn.) has been known to attain the length of ten 

 feet, and to weigh above 120 pounds. With these 

 dimensions, superadded to strong jaws and sharp 

 tenacious teeth, they are apt to prove very ugly 

 customers ; and mothers are hereby warned not to 

 allow children under ten years old to angle for 

 them from the extremity of jutting rocks. Even 

 full-grown fishermen are said to dread injury to 

 their legs from a large conger twining around them. 

 This species has even been known to attack men 

 while swimming. It has sometimes been found 

 within the carcase of large dead animals, on which 

 it was evidently feeding. Mr. Yarrell took from 

 the body of a conger weighing 25 pounds, three 

 common dab, and another conger three feet long. 

 In the Orkney Islands, congers are often killed by 

 otters, and as these quadrupeds usually devour only 

 a portion of their prey, the country people who 

 know their haunts thus reap a frequent fishy har- 

 vest. The best bait for this kind of eel is the sand- 

 launce. The Cornish fishermen use the pilchard 

 for the same purpose. 



