THE EELS.
The Eels belong to the family of bony Fishes, although the Lampreys which they resemble in general appearance, belong to the family of Fishes whose framework is made up of cartilage, or gristle. The Eels form a very large family if we would include the different kinds of bony Fishes that have the same snake-like form of the common Eel. We find these smaller families classed under the name of Apoda; this word means without feet when applied to animals, but when used to describe Fishes, means without the ventral fins which serve in the place of feet.
As the different kinds of Eels found under this family of Apoda are described by their Greek or Latin names, it will be well for us to understand the meaning of each of the four divisions. We would hardly recognize the plain Sand Eel, when we find him classed with “Osseous Fishes” under the name of “Ammodytes,” yet this is where the Naturalists place him, because this word in Latin means a sand-burrower, a kind of serpent, and is also derived from two Greek words meaning sand, and diver. The Electrical Eel is classed under fresh water Fishes under the name of Gymnotus, which comes from two Greek words meaning naked and back, showing that the back of the Electrical Eel is without fins. The Sea Eel is classed under the name of Muraenas, while Anguilla, which means snaky, serpent-like, is used to describe the plain Eels with smooth bodies and very few of the characteristics which distinguish the other Eels.
We will simply give all these different kinds of Eels their plain common name, but when we read of wonderful fresh water Fishes called Gymnotus Electricus, who have strange electrical powers, we will know the word is used to describe the Electrical Eel.