The Common Eel 263 



January, while in the Tay district it is about the 2Oth of April. On 

 1 2th June 1909 I saw large numbers of eel fry running up the Tay 

 and side streams, which run lasted well into October. I also noticed 

 them running up the river Allan, a tributary of the Forth, during 

 November. The Forth District Fishery Board have lately erected a 

 fish-pass here, and during a recent visit I found the river in flood. 

 Owing to a part between the fish-pass and the existing bank of the river 

 not having been properly filled in, hundreds of eels got up into this 

 and could proceed no farther. The superintendent and I measured a 

 number and found them to be about 9 inches in length. There is 

 little doubt that this is the average length attained during their first 

 season. Of course there may have been others of a larger size 

 lurking in the pools below, waiting for more favourable conditions, but 

 none came under our notice. 



