196 Kershaw, Migration of Eels in Victovia. [^'^^Feb^^'" 



MIGRATION OF EELS IN VICTORIA. 



By J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., Curator of Zoology, National 



Museum. 

 The reproduction and method of dispersal of the common 

 fresh-water eel, which has been involved in mystery for so 

 many years, and proved such a puzzle to scientists, has ex- 

 cited considerable interest and discussion in this State during 

 the last few years. 



The fact that the question of the breeding and development 

 of the European eel has been satisfactorily cleared up, com- 

 paratively recently, has revived the interest attached to the 

 Australian species. 



To Dr. T. S. Hall, M.A., is mainly due the credit of opening 

 up the question regarding the species inhabiting our own 

 country, and his inquiries, chiefly through the press, have been 

 instrumental in bringing forw^ard many interesting facts relating 

 to their migration. 



Owing to the fact that eels captured in fresh waters could 

 never be found carrying spawn, various conjectures have been 

 made regarding their method of breeding. It has been 

 asserted that they breed in mud, or are generated from the 

 skins of snakes or old eels, from slime, or from horsehairs. 

 The latter statement, as has previously been pointed out, is 

 probably due to the fact that certain long, smooth, thin, aquatic 

 worms, known as " Gordius worms," have been commonly 

 found in the same waters. 



A few years ago a piece of horsehair was sent to the jMuseum, 

 carefully preserved in spirits, as " a peculiar worm taken from 

 a water service pipe." In another case a Gordius worm and 

 a horsehair, enclosed in a bottle, were sent, under the belief 

 that they w^ere two worms intertwined. 



There is now every reason to believe that the migration and 

 breeding of the x\ustralian eels is similar to that of the European 

 species — namely, that they migrate to the sea for the purpose 

 of propagation when five or six years old ; that the males pre- 

 cede the females ; and the old ones never return to fresh 

 waters, but die soon after the breeding season. 



The eggs are deposited in deep water and float in the sea. 

 The larvae are rarely found on the surface, and do not resemble 

 the adult, but w^ere thought to be a distinct species, and described 

 under the distinctive name of Leptocephaliis brevirostris. The 

 young eels, or " elvers," as they are more commonly called, 

 are believed to be one year old when they ascend the rivers. 

 That they ascend the rivers here in a similar manner to 

 those in England and Europe is undoubted ; but, although the 

 fact has been repeatedly proclaimed, there are many who 

 stubbornly refuse to be convinced. 



