37 



Lucius reticulatus (Les.). 



Reticulated Pickerel. 



Head and snout longer than in the former. Olivaceous with 



numerous darker lines and streaks, mostly horizontal, forming 



a rude net design; fins plain. D. 14, A. 13. Scales 125. 



Length to thirty inches. 



Occurs within the same territory as the last, but further 

 away from the coast. 



Family Auguillidae. 



True Eels. 

 Body much elongate, serpentine, " footless," i.e., having no 

 ventral fins ; dorsal, caudal and anal generally continuous. 

 The shoulder girdle is not connected to the skull. Stomach 

 with a blind sac and no pyloric appendages. Scales small and 

 on account of the thick mucous covering in many cases not 

 readily seen, skin thick. Lateral line present. Head long, 

 pointed ; mouth large, the lower jaw the longest, teeth small. 

 Sexes hard to distinguish. 



Anguilla chrysypa Raf. 

 Eel. 



Brownish, greenish and grayish, lighter below. Vertical 

 fins confluent, plain. Length to 40 inches. 



Found in the whole Atlantic drainage system from Canada 

 to Brazil ; often land-locked in ponds into which it only 

 entered by traveling overland, which is done at night or in wet 

 weather. The propagation of the eel was a mystery until a 

 few years ago; it is now known to be catadromous, i. e., run- 

 ning down the rivers to the sea or at least into strongly brack- 

 ish water to spawn. After this process the female is supposed 

 to die. The young eels proceed upstream in innumerable 

 array, overcoming all obstructions. 



In captivity eels live for many years. They delight to lie 

 buried in the mud or sand with only their heads out, ready for 

 anything edible to come within reach. Mussels and snails are 

 picked out of the shells by them. 



Group Physoclisti. 



The air bladder is closed, not connected by a duct with the 



