240 APODES. 



oftentimes overpowering their prey by suddenly 

 coiling round the bodies of fishes, whose bones and 

 flesh are bruised instantly into jelly. 



On the whole, w^e view the eel in the light of 

 a water-serpent, being the connecting link be- 

 tween purely aquatic and amphibious reptiles. 

 That the flesh is nutritious cannot be denied, and 

 so is the rattle-snake, and eaten too, by the abo- 

 rigines with as good a relish as the epicurian 

 swallows his potted eels. Though w^ are unwill- 

 ing to eat them ourselves, simply from the influence 

 of unpleasant associations, yet, as the toper said 

 of the flies, when he put them back into the tum- 

 bler, though we don't like to swallow them, we do 

 not know but others may.* 



After the formation of ice, in the autumn, eels 

 bury themselves two and three feet deep in the 

 mud, where they remain in a partially torpid state 

 till the returning warmth of spring ; they are so 

 easily affected by cold that individuals rarely leave 

 their quarters, unless forced to by the fishermen. 

 At the commencement of winter, multitudes of 



* " Up jumped the Bacchanalian crew, on this. 

 Taking it very much amiss, 



Swearing, and in the attitude (o smite — 

 * Lord,' cries the man, with gravely lifted eyes, 



' Though I dont like to swallow flies, 

 / did not know but others might.'' " 



Peter Pindar. 



