BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 129 



left side tlie free tongue-like extreuiity of the testicle extends 12™™ and 

 on the right side 13™™ beyond the attachment of the mesentery. The 

 attachment of the mesentery begins on the right side 11™™ farther for 

 Avard than the left. The posterior extremity of the right testicle extends 

 4™™ beyond the mesenteric attachment and 26™™ beyond the vertical of 

 the anus. The left testicle extends 38™™ beyond the vertical of the anus, 

 whilst its extremity scared}^ extends beyond the mesenteric attachment. 

 The free ventral border of both testes becomes gradually thinner, and 

 forms a membranous border 1"'™ broad extending beyond the opaque 

 parenchyma. This border is lobulated or crenulated owing to slight 

 marginal incisions ; it is very distinct at the anterior end of the left tes- 

 ticle, but is broader i^osteriorly where it is bent outwards, while at the 

 same time it is more deejily notched or incised. 



At the base of the testes lies the canalis seminaUs or vas deferens, which 

 opens into the hursa seminaUs; and from the portion of testicle lying 

 behind the vertical of the anus a similar canal leads to the hursa semi- 

 naUs, from which the sperm is discharged through the jjorws genitaUs. 



If one compares this description and the figures* of the lobulated 

 organ discovered by Syrski and called after him, there appears a strik- 

 ing similarity between the two. If it is borne in .^nd that in the 

 first case we have to do with quite undeveloped and in the Conger with 

 fuUy mature male reproductive organs, all doubts are put aside as to 

 the sex indicated by the Syrskian organs. In the case of the Conger 

 as in that of AnguiUa, the fact remains, as upheld by Syrski, that the 

 male is conspicuously smaller than the female. 



As is well known, Von Siebold assumes that all the young eels which 

 wander into streams develop into females, while the young males 

 remain in the sea or at the mouths of the streams. This assumption 

 should not be taken literally, however, for out of 250 eels caught in the 

 vicinity of Cumlosen, measuring 28 to 42 centimeters, I found 13 males 

 or 5 per cent. Cumlosen lies near Wittenberge, and is also not less than 

 25 miles distant from the mouth of the Elbe. What iiercentage of males 

 is to be found nearer the mouth of the Elbe I have not been able to 

 learn on account of a lack of material. Forty eels caught in the Havel 

 at Havelberg were females without exception. 



I found a remarkably large number of male eels in a lot of 137 caught 

 in the bays joining the Baltic in the vicinity of Rtigen, namely, 61 indi- 

 viduals or 44J per cent., while amongst those taken at Wismar and the 

 Danish coasts there was but 11 per cent. 



Whether these facts have any relation or can give any clue to the 

 position of the hitherto unknown spawning places of eels, it is hoped 

 further investigation will show. 



Although Cattie, in the paper already cited, gives it as an undoubted 



*Abhandl. d. k. k. Akad. d. Wiss., April-Heft, 1874. The figure represents the liver 

 of AngidUa as two-lobed. It has, however, a simple, tongue-like form, and is divided 

 at its lower end into two lobules. 



BuU. U. S. F. C, 81 9 



