MORE ABOUT EELS 



It was a long time before the big chap was landed, 

 and not before he had snarled my leader into such 

 a condition that it was rendered useless. It was a 

 mistake, both on the part of the eel and myself, — 

 I lost valuable time through the inadvertence, for 

 I certainly had not intended to fish for eels. 



In addition to three well-known varieties, a 

 fourth has been found in some countries. There 

 is much similarity in the various species. The 

 prejudice against eels is doubtless due to the re- 

 semblance in its form to the serpent ; but, as a 

 matter of fact, there is but little similarity, except 

 in the external form of the body. The skeleton 

 and internal organs of the eel differ materially 

 from those of the snake. 



The Neapolitans have a custom of eating eels 

 at Christmas, considering them as necessary at that 

 time as an American does a turkey at Thanks- 

 giving. 



Mr. Ellis, in his " Polynesian Researches," writ- 

 ten many years ago, says : " In Otaheite, eels are great 

 favorites, and are tamed and fed until they attain 

 an enormous size. These pets are kept in large 

 holes, two or three feet deep, partially filled with 

 water. On the sides of these pits they generally 

 remained, except when called by a person who fed 

 them. I have been several times with the young 

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