EELS AND SALMON OF THE RIVER BAN. 173 



badger had received^ joined in the laugh, and the affair 

 ended happily, which might otherwise have had a 

 serious termination. 



In return for your entertaining account of the eagles, 

 I send you some particulars concerning the eels found 

 in the river Ban, in the same part of Ireland, commu- 

 nicated to Mr. Craven by a friend who resides in that 

 kingdom. An amazing quantity of food is supplied 

 to the people by the eels and the salmon of this river, 

 which, at different seasons of the year, constitute a 

 large share of the riches of the country around. The 

 bounty of Providence has so ordered it, that the one 

 migrates to the sea, when the other is prepared to 

 ascend the stream; so that the great lake and shal- 

 low rivers are always replenished with either the one 

 or the other, as if they occupied their station alter- 

 nately by agreement. They assemble to migrate, 

 exactly as birds do, and seem to have the most exact 

 intelligence of the time and the place of setting out, 

 as well as that to which they direct their course: 

 always returning, with the most unerring certainty, 

 to the same river from which they had emigrated. 

 The eel never attempts to descend until a flood arises, 

 which, besides disturbing the transparency of the water, 

 assists in forwarding the motion of the fish. They 

 never proceed whilst the moon or stars are bright ; 



