326 



SHARP-NOSED EEL. 



Anguilla acutirostris. 



This is the most abundant and most valued of the British 

 sjDecies of Eels; and in Ireland we observe that in letting to 

 rent the right of taking fish in rivers, (in Ulster,) that of fishing 

 for Eels is to be undertaken separately from the fishery for 

 Salmon. As the best known of this family, therefore, it is in 

 a special manner the subject of the observations that have been 

 made on the habits and history of the race; with the reserve 

 of such distinctions only as will be given in our notice of the 

 kindred kinds. 



Mr. Thompson has given an account of the large numbers 

 of these fish which have been caught in his native Ireland; 

 but there appears to exist along the northern shores of the 

 Mediterranean, so far east as Greece, a more regular fishery 

 for Eels than with us; and it is there carried on from 

 ISIichaelmas to the "Feast of the Kings," chiefly by means of 

 wicker baskets sunk in the sea. When caught the fish are 

 killed by being buried in salt; and then they are salted in 

 bulk in three divisions according to their size; the first being 

 such as weigh from a jDound and a half to seven pounds, and 

 the third from two ounces to half a jiound. With us the 

 smaller Eels are sometimes ^Dotted or maranaded; but we have 

 reason to know that Congers of small size are thus not 

 unfrequently made to pass for Eels. An amusing account of 

 the cookery and sale of Eels at Naples may be seen in Dr. 

 Badham's work, entitled "Fish Tattle." 



According to their usual growth, an examj^le that weighs 

 half a dozen pounds is considered large ; but there are instances 

 on record which have greatly exceeded this. A fi^licrman 

 brought the information of one, which Avas the largest he had 



