REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN NATURAL HISTORT. ^Sf 



wrij^trlinjy with tli€ utmost celerity ; and wheu I pushed any 

 of them farther into the river, they always came to the edge 

 as fast as they could. Not one but had its head up the wa- 

 ter. Tltey seemed to be in great haste, and breathing hard, Travelled hasr 

 as small bubbles of air often rose up to the surface ; and *^ ^* 

 when, having caught any of them, I turned its head down- 

 warfl, so as to swim with the current, it would not, but with 

 all the expedition in its power joined its new companions, 

 and wriggled on along with them. As I could not be always All at once Hi4 

 there, I appointed others to watch their motions, and I |[je'"j|^^':j^"^.^'^ 

 found, though I could not see exactly how they acted, that, yards j^ijglit^ 

 during the time it was'beginning to grow dark, by a kind 

 of signal, they all at once hid themselves in the sand or mud 



for miles at the same instant, and seemed not only under . 



^ ' Apparently 

 the command, but the protection of the larger ones, that, under the conj- 

 like officers, commanded them. Indeed, I saw sometimes ^"'"^ of largejr 

 large eels from twelve to fifteen inches long, making up the 

 water now and then, about three or four j^ards farther to- 

 wards the middle of the river, and about five and tvienty 

 yards behind one another; but whether they v^ere connected 

 with the general emigration I know not, though I rather 

 suppose they were, as they were never above twelve or thirr 

 teen feet from the small eels, and often seemed to turn an 

 anxious look towards their young friends. Tlie young ones, 

 as they were near the edge, were seldom an inch below the 

 surface. Those about five or six inches long might be bcr 

 tween one and two inches below the surface, being in deeper 

 water, and the large eels went at a much greater velocity 

 than the small ones. But, if thfv had any connection, or 

 care of the small fry, they must sometimes have stop-? 

 ped short, or slackened their f)ace. 1 luive seen the horse 

 and foot guards reviewed by his majesty in Hyde Pavlv, 

 and ten thoui^and men performing the same action at the 

 same instant of time; but the eels in the river Spey kept * 

 their ranks as regularly, and seuined to be as subservient to 

 the gi'cater ones, as any of the corps at a review are to the 

 command of their officers. 



Another fact he observed n\ay be mentioned as an instance 

 of the resources of animals, when prevented by circumstances 

 fiom following the usual practices of their species. 



Nece;^sity . 



