17 



nient-f(>lls sprca«! intd daik spots on tlic holly and sides, and tlip j>!ienoineiion 

 ean cxjiand over tlie wliolo of tlie belly and sides so tliat tliey bocome ({uite 

 daric-gniy: mIoi- gi-ane Aal- of tlic (Jernian snioking-plaecs. (Sec Miilniif 

 and Lefh later on.) When llie eels are fully developed silvor eels tliere is 

 not tiie sligiltest yellow on tlieni. 



Tlic ontlines of tlio ficales are more distinct tlian <in llie yellow eels, 

 thougli tliey are quite covered jiy tlie »silver lav-:. 



'J'lie tubes of tlie Uitcval Ihie and its round openings show distinetly 

 along tlie wliole body, dark on a light ground; also on the head its ranii- 

 fieatioiis, as above mentioned, are more distinct tlian on the yellow eels. 



The sliii itself is tliick and lirni, owing jiartit^ularly to a slrong develop- 

 ment of Ihe liluish librons tissuc of the corium. 



W'liile \\e have »yellow« eels of all sizes, from the eels Jiave any oolours 

 at all and n]iwards, tliere are kiidwii in Denmark nu silrcr crls Ki/dcr 2f> c/m. 

 iii lein/lh. and silver eels of sucli small size, moreover, are very rart'; liesides 

 tliey are all of tliem males. The smallest i'emales I have found are 42 ctm., 

 and they are rare too; it is always easy to see, even without any microseoiii- 

 eal examination, whether these eels are males or females, and theh- sexual 

 organs are stronger developed thaii those of yellow eels of the same size. No 

 ddubt. however, much is wanting before eggs and spermatozoa are ri)>e, nav 

 the latter have never been seen in testes as yct ; Init the eggs are unmistak- 

 alily pi'eseiit. 



The testes of the silver eels are always distinetly lobated, though the 

 lobes, as I tliink, never exceed 3""" in lireadth, if they are so broad as tliat; 

 also the testes of the yellow eels are often distinct!}' lobated, but it is certain 

 that the formation of the lobes of the silver eels as a rnle is more advanced 

 tlian in the yellow ones. 



The ovaries are never half-clear, or half-transparent, in fully developed 

 silver eels, as they generally are in all genuine, yellow eels; on the conlrary, 

 tliey are whitish, opaque, with a yellowish or reddish tinge; they are to a 

 high degree filleil with fat, and the diameter of the eggs often reaches O,.,""", 

 or even more, O,.,,- (LUljehnrfi). a .«ize I never saw in yellow eels. The ovaries. 

 moreover, are plumper, more folded, broader, and doubtless nearer ripeness 

 than those of the yellow eels, though, eertaiuly. tiiey are still fai' from being 



a 



