48 



MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



The eel-like fishes (Figs. 9, 10) are distinguished by their well- 

 known cylindrical, elongated form, by the entire absence of the 

 pelvic fins, and by the continuous dorsal and ventral fins, which 

 are not separated from the tail-fin. The scales are either 

 entirely wanting, or small and completely buried in the skin as 

 in the common eel. The latter and the conger are the only two 

 British species. The eel is taken principally in fresh water, but 

 it is known to migrate to the sea before spawning. The conger 

 lives entirely in the sea : it is easily distinguished from the eel 

 by its much larger eyes and jaws, and by the fact that its dorsal 

 fin commences at a point much nearer the head than in the eel. 



Fig. II. — The Gar-pike, Guard-fish, or Long Nose. 

 Fig. 12. — The Saury-pike, or Skipper. 



In the gar-pike family (Figs. 1 1 , 12) there is but one dorsal fin, 

 which consists of a rather small number of rays, and is placed 

 opposite the ventral in the hinder part of the body near the 

 tail. The air-bladder has no opening. In the gar-pike or 

 guard-fish, and in the saury-pike, the jaws are elongated into a 

 slender beak, the lower jaw being the longer. The saury-pike 

 or skipper is distinguished by the presence of several small 

 finlets behind both the dorsal and ventral fins. In both the 

 body is slender and long. These fishes swim actively in shoals, 

 and belong to the surface waters of the open ocean. They 



