THE CONGER EEL. 389 



taken principally with long lines, called by the fishermen 

 bulters ; each line is about five hundred feet long, with 

 sixty hooks placed eight feet apart from each other, baited 

 with pilchards or sand-eels, and not unfrequently such a 

 number of bulters are fastened together as to reach a mile 

 in length." Congers are extremely voracious, preying on 

 all kinds of small fish, as well as shells and dead animal J[£5 

 matter. A fine specimen was taken in the month of No- , AA^f* 

 vember 1834, at a short distance below Alloa, and sent to the 

 Edinburgh market, where, on opening its stomach, sixty- 

 eight spirlings were found in a perfectly fresh state ; they 

 were consequently exposed for sale, and soon obtained a 

 purchaser. The Conger is remarkably tenacious of life, 

 and will live several hours out of water. The fishermen in 

 Cornwall are aware of this ; and are said to be in the habit 

 of striking the fish on the abdomen, which proves an effec- 

 tual mode of causing instantaneous death. The Firth of 

 Forth is an excellent nursery for the Conger, in conse- 

 quence of the rich feeding ground between Alloa and Stir- 

 ling, where, in the months of July and August, the young 

 are frequently taken with the hook from one to five pounds 

 in weight. Specimens have been taken occasionally in the 

 Firth weighing seventy pounds ; they are said to grow to 

 the length of ten feet, and to acquire a weight of one hun- 

 dred and thirty pounds. These fish spawn in December 

 and January ; and are frequently brought to the Edinburgh 

 market, where one of four feet in length will fetch a price 

 of from a shilling to eighteen pence ; the flesh is considered 

 good, but in general rather dry. A young conger- eel from 

 one to two feet in length, is distinguished from the common 

 eel in the dorsal fin commencing over the end of the pec- 

 torals ; in the under jaw not projecting beyond the upper 

 jaw ; in the caudal being acutely pointed ; in the dorsal 



