144 EEL. Class IV. 



of their bodies which they left on the ftones, 

 -- were animated and became young eels. Some mo- 

 derns gave into thefe opinions, and into others" that 

 were equally extravagant. They could not account 

 for the appearance of thefe flfh in ponds that never 

 were flocked with them, and that were even fo 

 remote as to make their being met with in fuch 

 places a phenomenon that they could not folve. 

 But there is much reafon to believe, that many 

 waters are fupplied with thefe fifh by the aquatic 

 fowl of prey, in the fame manner as vegetation is 

 fpread by many of the land birds, either by being 

 dropped as they carry them to feed their young, or 

 by palling quick thro' their bodies, as is the cafe 

 with herons ; and fuch may be occafion of the 

 appearance of thefe fifh in places where they were 

 never feen before. As to their immediate genera- 

 Vivipa- tion, it has been fufficiently proved to be effe&ed 

 in the ordinary courfe of nature, and that they are 

 viviparous. 



They are extremely voracious, and very deftruc- 

 tive to the fry of fill). 



No lifh lives fo long out of water as the eel : it 

 is extremely tenacious of life, as its parts will move 

 a confiderable time after they are flayed and cut in- 

 to pieces. 

 Descrip. The eel is placed by Linnaus in the genus of 

 Murana^ his firft of the apodal fifh, or fuch which 

 want the ventral fins. 



The eyes are placed not remote from the end of 



the 



