648 



The Living Animals of the World 



February and jMay. Tliey are then from 2 to 5 inelies long, and perfectly transparent save for 

 a black "line inside tlie body, running along the spinal cord. The numbers passing up a single 

 river during this ascent are almost beyond belief. In one of these migrations, or " eel-fares," 

 upwards of three tons were captured in a single day in the Gloucester district in 1886, and 

 it has been calculated that more than 14,000 go to make a pound weight. In the previous 

 year the annual consumption of eels was estimated at a minimum of 1,650 tons, with a 

 total value of dil30,000. ]<>w obstacles seem too great to be overcome in their ascent, for 

 they will ascend the flood-gates of locks, or even travel overland if the ground be wet, till a 

 desirable resting-place is found. In some parts of England these young eels, or "elvers," as 

 they are called, are salted and made into cakes. 



The CoxGER-EEL is a nrarine species, differing from the river-eel, amongst other things, 

 in its larger head and eyes, and in the arrangement of its teeth and the large size of the 

 gill-openings. The conger is also gi-eatly superior in size, examples of betweeir 6 and 7 feet 



Flwbj b:i 111-, li. W. ShvkUlt] 



CAT-FISH. 

 Xfite the presenc? of barbels, uv " feelers," roninl the month 



[ Wa^hiiiijton. 



m length and 60 llis. in weiglit being common. The females are larger than the males, and 

 an instance is on record of a female which was over 8 feet in length and weighed 128 lbs. 

 Congers feed on other fishes, cutth-fishes, and lobsters, as well as upon one another, the larger 

 females eating the smaller males. 



Serpe>'t-eels are confined to tropical and sul>tropical seas, and are remarkable for their 

 extreme voracity. ]\Iore than eighty species are known, some of which are brilliantly coloured. 



The Deep-.sea Eels are represented by numerous species, and dwell at depths varying from 

 340 to 2,000 fathoms. In some .siiecies the body is remarkably modified, the mouth being 

 oi enormous size, and tlie stomach capable of marvellous distension, so much so that eels of 

 this family have been captured which had swallowed tislies several times their own wei<^ht. The 

 tail m many of the deep-sea eels tapers to a fine hair-like point. 



The Painted Eels are remarkable for their bright spotted or mottled coloration, and are 

 ot large size, ranging from C to 8 feet in length. Armed with formidable teeth, the larger 



