Conger, or CONGER-EEL, a marine bony fish in the eel family (Murænidae). The body is eel-like, without pelvic fins, with a continuous dorsal fin beginning very far forward, and without scales. The length varies from 3 to 6 feet, or even more; the colour is dark gray or bluish above, whitish below; the mouth is wide; the tongue free; the teeth in rows, one closely packed series forming a sharp edge. Four species occur widely distributed in temperate and tropical seas. Conger vulgaris is common on the British coasts, especially off Cornwall. Giant specimens, 10 feet in length, 18 inches in girth, over 100 lb. in weight, are recorded; and even ordinary specimens left aground among the rocks, or landed unexpectedly on board a boat, are awkward customers to deal with. They are very muscular and voracious fishes, feeding on comparatively large prey, and have remarkably strong biting powers. They often rotate rapidly on their own axis, and have a certain degree of grasping power with their tails. The colour seems to vary with habitat, since those from rocks are blacker than those from sand-banks. They occur from the shore down to about 50 fathoms, and are extremely prolific. The flesh is coarse, but is often enough eaten. What is called turtle soup is believed to be often made mainly of conger-eel. See Day's British Fishes.