BREEDING PLACES OF THE EEL SCHMIDT 



307 



for biological conclusions. The following figures show the numerical 

 proportion between the larvae of the two species in our collections : 



Captain Andrea (about 1865) 

 Trading vessels, 1911-1915... 



Margrethe, 1913... 



U. S. S. Bache, 1914 



Dana, 1920-21 



Dana II, 1921-22 



In all the collections the European eel predominates, even in the 

 western Atlantic. This is possibly the case also in reality. The 

 collections can hardly be taken as properly representative; in all 

 probability that of the Dana (1920-21) is nearest the true state of 

 things. In any case it is interesting to note that the Dana's hauls 

 in the v,estern parts of the ocean (west of 50° W.) yielded several 

 times as many larvaj of the European as of the American eel. 

 As far as can be determined from the incomplete statistics available, 

 the annual yield of the eel fisheries in Europe is several times that 

 in America (in America a little more than 2,000 tons, in Europe 

 more than 10,000 tons). 



Fic. 13. — I'relarva of European Eel {AiigiiilUi rulimris) . May o, 19L'l2, 700 inoters 

 of wire out. Length about G mm. " Dana II," Stat. 1331, 26° 37' lat. N., 55° 50' 

 long. W. Note the developing teeth, the pigmentless eye, the large oil-globule 

 and the pigment on the caudal portion of the embrj'onic fin. (Drawing by 

 A. V. Taning, M. Sc.) 



As in the case of the European eel, I note here the extreme limits 

 for our finds of the larvae of the American species. 



Larvoc of the American eel {Anguilla rostrata) 



Northernmost find: Lat. 42° 19' N., long. 50° 22' W. {Margrethe). 

 Southernmost find: Lat. 17° 55' N., long. 64° 48' W. {Dana). 

 Westernmost find: Long. 82° 59' W., lat. 20° 08' N. {Dana II). 

 Easternmost find: Long. 50° 22' W., lat. 42° 19' N. {Margrethe). 



I would also refer to Figures 5 and 15, where the occurrence of the 

 larvae of the American eel is indicated by curves. The result may be 

 briefly stated as follows : "We found the larvss throughout the greater 

 part of the western Atlantic between the West Indies and the New- 

 foundland Banks, where they occur together with the larvae of the 

 European eel. East of 50° longitude W. we have not met with larvae 



