

108 THE COMMON EEL. 



Although spinous fishes in general produce by spawn, yet there 

 are some, as the eel and the blenny, that bring forth their young 

 alive. In regard to the growth of fishes, it appears that they 

 are slow in attaining their full size, and they are a long time 

 liable to become a prey to others before it comes to their turn 

 to be destroyers. 



That some fishes, in hot climates, are poisonous when eaten, 

 is a fact that cannot be doubted. The author of a paper in the 

 Philosophical Transactions, gives us an account of the poison- 

 ous qualities of those found near New-Providence, one of the 

 Bahama islands, and assures us, that the greatest part of the fish 

 found on that coast are of a deadly nature. What is extremely 

 singular is, that all kinds on that coast are, at different times, 

 alike dangerous ; and the same species which has one day served 

 for wholesome nourishment, is the next day found to be a deadly 

 poison. The cause of this singular phenomenon is an enigma 

 to naturalists. It is, however, far from being improbable, that 

 these relations may have originated from the ignorance of those 

 who have mistaken one species for another ; and through want 

 of accuracy in making those distinctions, have given a confused 

 account of their effects. 



The fishes of this order being exceedingly numerous, various 

 methods of classing them have been invented by naturalists. As 

 this work is designed for those who intend to study Nature only 

 in its general appearances and most striking particulars, with- 

 out entering into those minute investigations, which are com- 

 patible only with a life of leisure ; we have, in our exhibitions 

 of her various forms, endeavoured to avoid embarrassing with 

 the multiplied distinctions of systematical writers. Here, how- 

 ever, where the varieties of animal life are so numerous, some 

 kind of classification is necessary, in order to form distinct ideas. 

 The simplest, as well as the most luminous, seems to be that of 

 Linnaeus, who ranks them if; four grand divisions, according to 

 the position of their fins. 



The first division consists of those which that celebrated 

 naturalist denominates 



APODES, 



Of which the principal distinctive character is, that they have 

 no ventral fins. 



THE COMMON EEL 



Is the first genus in this order, and includes a variety of 

 species. It may be considered as the most universal of all fishes, 

 and is so generally known, that any description of it is unneces- 

 sary It frequents the fresh waters, the ponds, ditches, and 



