GENERATION OF EELS. 229 



at Ballyshannon, about the end of July, 

 the mouth of the river, which had been in 

 flood all this month, under the fall, was 

 blackened by millions of little eels, about as 

 long as the finger, which were constantly 

 urging their way up the moist rocks by the 

 side of the fall. Thousands died, but their 

 bodies remaining moist, served as the ladder 

 for others to make their way ; and I saw some 

 ascending even perpendicular stones, making 

 their road through wet moss, or adhering to 

 some eels that had died in the attempt. Such 

 is the energy of these little animals, that they 

 continue to find their way, in immense num- 

 bers, to Loch Erne. The same thing hap- 

 pens at the fall of the Bann, and Loch Neagh 

 is thus peopled by them: even the mighty Fall 

 of ShafFhausen does not prevent them from 

 making their way to the Lake of Constance, 

 where I have seen many very large eels. 



Phys. — You have shown, that some eels 

 come from the sea, but I do not think the 

 facts prove that all eels are derived from 

 that source. 



Hal. — Pardon me — I have not concluded, 

 o 3 



