230 | The Common Eel 
caused by wind blowing along the surface of water. At this time 
Loch Leven, September 1900. 
211.—The Common Eel (Azeguzl/a vulgaris), 6 lbs. 
FIG. 

they are from 3 to 4 inches long. The 
migration continues for about a fortnight, 
during which nothing seems too difficult 
for them to surmount. If the rush of 
water is too strong for them, they wriggle 
up the side among the wet grass. On 
one occasion a large stone had fallen out 
of the side of a bye-wash and left a 
large opening, which on examination 
was found to contain a living mass of 
eels) 1 puta spitcher underneath ait 
stirred up the eels, and withdrew the 
pitcher full of them, while many others 
made good their escape. At this time 
whitling, sea-trout, and brown trout 
gorge themselves with the young elvers. 
miter the young “iry spass wpss(iie- 
2ni2) wolden™ eels irom, 6 too, anehes 
long continue during the whole summer 
to advance higher up. I have proved 
this on many occasions by shutting off 
the water from mill-wheels and finding 
eels wriggling below in great numbers. 
They run most during the night. On 
the 1st of August last year I had occa- 
sion to watch the water passing through 
a siuice fat och) More.) ihe wioreemot 
the water was so great that the eels 
were unable to push through, and at 
midnight the pool below the sluice was 
a seething mass of eels of all sizes up 
to 30 inches long, but as soon as the sun appeared in the morning 
none were to be seen, all having fallen back into the pools below. 
