CONGBIDai. I’ISHES. ACIPENSEBLDa:. 
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Family— ANGUILLID^. 
did Fish, twenty indies long, and exquisite lor 
eating.” DeKay describes and figures it as “ 'I'he 
Oceanic Cat-fish (Galeiclithys inarinus). It lias a 
wide geographical range, having been found in the 
Atlantic from 20° south to 41° north, along the 
shores of the two Americas.” It swims with its long- 
dorsal above the surface in the manner of Sharks, 
and is said to imitate those creatures in voracity. 
SEA CAT-FISH {Ariopais milberti [Val.), Gill ). — 
'J’he range of this Fish is from Cape Cod southwards. 
DeKay names it Milbert’s Arius (Arius milberti). 
Family — CONG III DAS. 
'I’his group has been separated, to form a family, 
from the Anguillidm. One genus only is included 
among our native Fishes. DeKay gives the charac- 
teristics of the genus Conger as consisting of even 
jaws; the dorsal fin commencing above the pectorals, 
or a short distance behind them. 'I'he species are 
chiefly oceanic, and are further distinguished from 
Anguilla by the greater number of their vertebriE. 
CONGER EEL {Conger oceanica [Mitchill], Gill ). — 
Ilanges I'rom Newfoundland to the West Indies. 
Mitchill described this Eel as Anguilla conger. His 
specimen was thirty-seven inches in length and seven 
and a half inches in girth, weighing nearly four 
pounds. He says the “ flesh is white and very dainty 
eating,” an opinion not entertained by others, who 
regard it as exceedingly disagreeable. DeKay says: 
“'I'he flesh has a peculiar, unsavory taste. * * * 
The Conger Eel may be considered as rare on our 
coast. It is apparently a vicious animal, snapping, 
when captured, at everything near it.” He names it 
The American Conger (C. occidentalis). Of the Eng- 
lish species, C. vulgaris. Couch, in Fiahes of the Brit- 
ish Isles, says : “ It is one of the commonest Fishes 
that frequent the waters of the coast of the United 
Kingdom. 'J’his species is said to have been taken 
weighing one hundred pounds, and measuring ten 
feet in length. A strange diversity of opinion con- 
cerning its value as food exists here as well as in 
America. In Scotland it is despised, while in some 
portions of the west of England it is valued and 
made an important article of trade. In the fourteenth 
century it was prized by the nobility, and was re- 
served as a chief rent in the underletting of land. 
-X- * * ^ special prejiaration of this Fish formed 
an established trade in the west of England in the 
time of King John. Following the example of his 
Norman predecessors, at the small price of six marks 
he assigned to certain merchants of Bayonne the 
monopoly of the right of drying Congers and Hakes. 
This prejiaration was what was called Conger doust 
(Sweet Conger), the exportation of which was to 
Spain.” The Conger is exceedingly tenacious of life. 
An example is related by Yarrell of one that exhib- 
ited perfect vigor after being ten hours out of water. 
Among the various differences seen, on comparing 
the Conger with the common fresh-water Eels, is the 
unequal number of vertebral ; in the latter there are 
one hundred and sixteen, in the Conger one hundred 
and til'ty-six. I’late 2, fig. 7. 
One genus only of our American East Coast Fishes 
is embraced in this family. The characters of An- 
guilla are seen in the dorsal fin commencing consid- 
erably behind the pectorals, and uniting with the 
anal to form the caudal fin. 'I’he lower jaw is the 
longei'. 'I'he mouth has a row of teeth in each jaw, 
and a few on the anterior part of the vomer. 
COMMON EEL {Anguilla bostoniensis [Leseur), 
Aay). —Ranges from Newfoundland to Hatteras. 
Gill records this as the sole species, I'rom which we 
infer that the various forms described by other au- 
thors are identical with the present. Mitchill figures 
and describes 'I’he Common Eel (A. vulgaris); De- 
Kay records it as 'I’he Common New York Eel (A. 
tenuirostris) ; Storer as 'I’he Co.mmon Eel of Massa- 
chusetts (A. bostoniensis). 'I’he Eel is taken on all 
parts of our Eastern coast, as well as in the rivers 
and ponds of the interior. In the spring and summer 
it is taken in large wicker baskets, called Eel-pots, 
and by torch light, using the spear. 'J'he latter 
mode is also employed in winter, holes in the ice 
being made for that purpose. 
Family— SACCO PH ARYNGIDiE. 
'I’liis family is thought to resemble the Anguillae 
more than any other. 'I’he species are distinguished 
by the enormous head and mouth, and attenuated 
tail. 'I’he body is very long, but is not like the Eels. 
'I’he abdominal portion is moderate in length, but the 
tail is greatly e.xtended. 'I’he skin is lax and scale- 
less. 'I’he stomach is at times distended to such a 
degree as to give rise to the generic name. One 
species only is known. 
GULPEK [Succopharynx flagellum, Mitchill ). — 
Inhabits the open sea. Mitchill records it as found 
in latitude 52°, longitude 30°, west. Gill says the 
only known specimens were found far off the Ameri- 
can coast and off Madeira. The color is black. Its 
peculiar proportions are thus stated : head, two and 
a half inches in length ; truidi, six inches, and tail 
twenty-five inches. 
Family — ACIPENSERlDvE. 
'I’his family is regarded as a very natural group, 
with no near I'elations in the present age. 'J’he 
skin is aimed with minute bony plates, and five rows 
of keeled bucklers of larger size. 'I’eeth are entirely 
wanting in the adult. 'I’he skeleton is cartilaginous. 
'I’he air-bladder is large and simple, and communi- 
cates with the eesojihagus through its upper surface. 
Species are found in all the temjierate jiortions of 
the Northern hemisphere. 'J'hey all breed in fresh- 
water, but some are residents of the sea part of the 
season, others are permanent residents in fresh-water 
lakes and rivers. 'I’wo primary types are recognized, 
— Acipenser and Scaphirynchojis. 
SHARP-NOSED STURGEON {Acipenser oxyrhynchus, 
Mitchill). — Gill records this as a doubtful species. 
Its range is from Cape Cod to Florida. 
SHORT-NOSED STURGEON {A.brevirostris, Leseur). 
— Ranges from Cape Cod to Florida. 
