236 The Hijlory of ANIMALS. 
upon almoft any thing, and deftroying whatever it once fixes it’s jaws upon. Schone- 
veldt calls it Lupus marinus noftras j Jonfton, Lupus marinus; Ray and Willughby, 
Lupus marinus noftras et Schoneveldei j Gefner calls it Anarrhicas, Scanfor, and 
Rhein-fifch ; we the Wolf-fifh. 
M U R M N A. 
T H E body of the Muraena is long, {lender, and rounded, or fubcylindric • in 
fome fpecies the fins are three, in others they are four, and in fome again there 
is only one: at the very extremity of the roftrum there are two fhort tubes or forami¬ 
na, one on each fide ; thefe are the anterior apertures of the nofirils: the branchioftege 
membrane on each fide contains ten {lender and crooked bones, but the {kin of the 
fifh is thick and firm, fo that, till it is taken off, they are not eafily difcovered. 
Murcena unicolor maxilla inferiroe longiore . 
The Jimple-coloured Murcena , with the lower jaw longejl. 
The head of the eel is deprefted in the anterior part, but in the hinder it is round¬ 
ed, or, if any thing, a little compreffed $ it is fmall, and acute at the extremity : the 
body is long and rounded, toward the extremity it is fomewhat comprefled j it’s whole 
furface is fmooth and flippery, being covered with a thick, vifcous matter; it feems to 
have no fcales, but, when the {kin is dried, there are found fome: the lower jaw is 
fomewhat prominent beyond the upper; there are, in the extremity of the roftrum, 
two little tubes, one on each fide; thefe are open at the extremity, and pervious all the 
way j they are no other than the anterior foramina of the nofirils adorning that form: 
the two pofterior foramina are fituated at a great diftance from thefe 3 they are fitua- 
ted, indeed, juft before the eyes, one under each : the eyes are fmall, round, and co¬ 
vered with a thick and but little pellucid membrane ; the iris is of a dufky red ; the 
pupil is very fmall and black; in both jaws there are a great number of little fora¬ 
mina or duds j there are about fixteen of thefe in the lower, and many more than that 
in the upper : there are feveral feries of teeth, both in the upper and under jaws ; in 
the anterior part of the palate there is a bone fituated longitudinally, and contiguous to 
the teeth in the jaw; this is covered with teeth, but the reft of the palate is fmooth : 
in the upper part of the fauces there are two bones covered with teeth ; and in their 
lower part, toward the gills, there are alfo two more, which are of a longer figure 
than thefe, and are not quite fo rough : the tongue is fmooth, and is immoveable, be¬ 
ing fupported along it’s middle by a rigid bone. 
The coverings of the gills are not open, either above or below, but they have a little 
aperture on each fide, near the pedoral fins: the lateral line is ftraight - 3 in the anterior 
part it rifes toward the back, and in the lower, or fir" the middle to the tail, it di¬ 
vides the body regularly in half, and there is a fingle row of punda toward the lower 
part of the line: the colour of the back and fides is naturally dulky and blackilh, but 
fometimes coppery, and fometimes greenifh ; the belly is either of a filvery white, or 
yellowifh ; the anus ftands nearer the head than the tail. 
The eel has three fins - 3 the pedoral ones are two; they ftand one on each fide, near 
the aperture of the gills, and are fmall, and of a blackilh colour; each has eighteen or 
nineteen rays: the back fin is fingle j it begins at a confiderable diftance from the 
head, and furrounds the body, going round the tail, and coming up again continuous 
as far as the anus; this is but low, and is fupported by a vaft number of bifid rays: 
the extremity of this fin, which forms what may be called the tail, is neither round 
nor fquare, but fubacute : the branchise are four on each fide; they are full of elegantly 
divided blood-veflels on the convex part, and on the concave they have no apophyfes: 
the vertebrae are a hundred and fixteen; the ribs are jfhort, and adhere but {lightly 
to them. 
We have this fpecies in all our frefh waters, in ponds, ditches, and rivers. The 
antients called it v E^%eAu? j the moderns, Anguilla : the Swedes call it A 1 - 3 the Germans, 
Ahl j and we, the Eel. About two feet is it’s general ftandard with us, but there have 
been occafionally caught fome vaftly larger. 
Murcena 
