SI a 



EEL. 



They lurk in the Bahama ifles, among the ftones and corals, and 

 bite the leo-s of people that go into the water. Their teeth are very 

 fliarp, fo that they draw blood j but they are by no means venomous. 



«5. BlacX. Catefiy.n. 21. 



HIS is only a variety of the former : is of a black color, marked 



with darker fpots. They grow to the length of four feet: are very 



voracious and ftrong, and when hooked will twift themfelves among 



the branches of coral and fea plants, which are often broken, and 



brought up with them. 



No fifh was in fuch high efteem with the Romans (for they are com- 

 mon to the new and old world). They were preferved in ponds, and 

 became fo familiar as to come when they were called. 



Natat ad magiftum delicata murasna *". 



Lucius CraJJus, a perfon of rank, went into mourning on the death . 

 of a favorite murana: and C. Hirrius, who was diftinguifhed above 

 all others for his fine fifh-ponds, valued this fpecies fo highly, that 

 he would by no means fell any ; but fo far favored Julius Cajar, as to 

 lend him fix thoufand for his triumphal fupper. 



Vedius PolUo, a great friend oi Auguftus, ufed to fling his condemned 

 ■flaves into the ponds in which he kept his Murays, as food for thofe 

 fifhes; not that there was any want of wild beafts in the land, but be- 

 caufe he took pieafure in feeing a man torn to pieces at once, which 

 he could not otherwife enjoy f. 



The hatin name of this fifli is ufually tranflated the Lamprey ; a 

 kind very unfit to execute the favage pleafures of this friend of 



jiilgufiuS. 



* Martial, lib. X. Epig. 30. f Plin. lib. ix. c, 23. 



