GENERATION OF EELS. 227 



happens, when great quantities of flies come 

 out in rain, grayling, as well as trout, are 

 taken with more certainty than at any other 

 time ; — the artificial fly, in such cases, looks 

 like a wet fly, and allures even the grayling, 

 which generally is more difficult to deceive 

 than trout in the same river. 



Phys. — As I was looking into a ditch 

 coming down the river, which is connected 

 with it, I saw a very large eel at the bottom, 

 that appeared to me to be feeding on a small 

 grayling : — are there many of this fish in 

 the Teme ? and do they breed here ? 



Hal. — There are many of this fish in the 

 river; but to your question. Do they breed 

 here ? I must answer in the negative. The 

 problem of their generation is the most ab- 

 struse, and one of the most curious, in natural 

 history ; and though it occupied the attention 

 of Aristotle, and has been taken up by most 

 distinguished naturalists since his time, it is 

 still unsolved. 



Phys. — I thought there was no doubt on 

 the subject, Lacepede, w^iose book is the 

 only scientific one on fishes I have read with 

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