CHAPTER X 



EELS AND CAT-FISHES 



BY VV. P. PyCRAFT, A.LS., F.Z.S. 



EELS, like flat-fishes, show plainly, in the shape of their bodies, a remarkably perfect 

 adaptation to their environment. They are burrowing hshes, passmg much of the.r t.me 

 bur ed in the mud, and leaving little more than the head exposed. In accordance with 

 this habit, the bodv is very long and round, and lacks both the hinder pa.red fins and scales. 

 When swimming, the body is propelled b)- rapid undulations, the movement bemg from s,de to 

 side it may be remarked, instead of up and down, as in the - serpentine movements of snakes, 

 'whether all the fishes commonly regarded as eels really belong to this famdy or not is 

 a moot-point It is possible that the eel shape has been independently acquired b)- unrelated 

 forms as a result of adaptation to a similar mode of life. But as the group now stands ,t 

 embraces several distinct types,^the COMMON FrESH-WATER Eels , numeroirs manne speoes. 

 such as C.NC.ERS, SERPEXT-EEl.s, DEEP-SEA Eels, and Painted Eels; and the fresh-water 



Electric Eels. , .• , i • ,. ,. 



The River-eels and Congers are perhaps the best known, and are also highly miportant 



food-fishes. That they are fishes of comparatively slow growth seems to be shown by the 



Phot.i by N. Laocarnick] 



EELS 



Tiuo spt^rics are shoivn in this photograph 



646 



[,V™ Tni 



