Class IV. EEL. H5 



the nofe : the irides are tinged with red : the un- 

 der jaw is longer than the upper : the teeth are 

 fmall, fharp, and numerous : beneath each eye is 

 a minute orifice: at the end of the nofe two o- 

 thers, fmall and tubular. 



The fifh is furnifhed with a pair of peroral 

 fins, rounded at their ends. Another narrow fin 

 on the back, uniting with that of the tail ; and the 

 anal fin joins it in the fame manner beneath. 



Behind the-pe6i:oral fins is the orifice to the gills, 

 which are concealed in the Ikin. 



Eels vary much in their colors, from a footy hue Silver 

 to alight olive green; and thofe which are called 

 filver eels, have their bellies white, and a remark- 

 able clearnefs throughout. 



Befides thefe there is another variety of this fifn 

 known in the Barnes by the name of Cr/^j-, and Grigs, 

 about Oxford by that of Grigs or Gluts. Thefe 

 are fcarce ever feen near Oxford in the winter, 

 but appear in fpring, and bite readily at the hook^ 

 which common eels in that neighbourhood will not. 

 They have a larger head, a blunter nofe, thicker 

 fkin, and lefs fat than the common fort \ neither 

 are they fo much efteemed, nor do they often ex- 

 ceed three or four pounds in v/eight. 



Common eels grow to a large fize, fometimes 

 fo great as to weigh fifteen or twenty pounds, but 

 that is extremely rare. As to inftances brought 

 by Bale and others, of thefe fiili encreafing to a 

 fuperior magnitudes we have much reafon to fufped 



Vol. III. L them 



