404 A DESCRIPTION OF 
The Conger, or Sea Eel is very large and thick. Its 
body is dtisky above, and silvery below ; the dorsal and 
anal fins are edged with black ; and the lateral line is dotted 
with white. Its flesh is firm, and was much esteemed by 
the ancients. 
The voracity of the Conger Eel is very great, and it is 
one of the most powerful enemies with which the fisher- 
men of the British islands have to contend. Being usually 
caught by a hook and line, it requires some care to land 
and kill the large ones without injury. We are informed 
that, on such occasions, they have been known to entwine 
themselves round the legs of a fisherman, and to fight with 
the utmost fury. A Conger, six feet in length, was caught 
in the Wash at Yarmouth, in April, 1808 ; but not until 
after a severe contest with the man who had seized it. 
The animal is stated to have risen half erect, and to have 
actually knocked the fisherman down before he could se- 
cure it. This Conger weighed only about sixty pounds ; 
but some of the largest exceed even a hundred weight. 
THE LUMP-SUCKER, OR SEA-OWL. 
(Cyclopterus lumpus.) 
THIS is an odd shaped fish ; its colour is blackish, with 
faint red, in spots, the abdomen is red ; it has no scales, 
but on all sides sharp black tubercles, in shape like warts; 
on each side are three rows of sharp prickles and on the 
back two distinct fins. It is taken in many places about 
