THE EELS. 519 
For our knowledge of the habits of the Conger we are indebted to various 
European naturalists, and an excellent summary of their observations has 
been published by Dr. Smitt in his ‘Scandinavian Fishes,” and this is 
partly reproduced here: 
“The true haunts of the Conger lie in 20-50 fathoms of water, but it 
ascends between the tide-marks, and has been found at low water on dry 
land. It shares the preference of the common Eel for a nocturnal life, and 
in the daytime shows the same proclivity for hiding among weeds and stones, 
in crevices and in the sand. Off the mouths of rivers it lies in wait for the 
migratory fishes on their upward and downward journeys. It has powers of 
endurance and a robust appetite. Its dentition shows that it is one of the 
most formidable predatory fishes. With the pointed, though smaller, front 
CONGER-EEL, 
teeth it seizes its prey, and with the sharp edges formed by the close-set, 
larger jaw-teeth it mangles the victim. Its strength may be gathered from 
the fact that it has been seen to tear asunder lines as thick as a man’s 
finger. It does great damage to fishing-tackle, and lays the fisherman’s 
take under heavy contribution. It bites holes in the nets and drags out the 
fish. It creeps into lobster-pots, makes short work of the catch, and if the 
material of the pot is flexible, bores its way out, tail first, through one of 
the chinks. Like the common Eel, it is sensitive to changes in the weather. 
Immediately before a gale it is restless, and many Congers are cast ashore 
_in stormy weather. It seems to suffer especially from cold. In winter it 
is often found half-dead at the surface, with air-bladder strongly distended. 
The cold apparently deprives it of command over the distension of this 
organ. 
“The rapacity of the Conger often embroils it with other pirates of the 
