BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
being that the disturbance caused to the water sets them 
wandering. One Eel has been known to travel nearly 
800 miles in 93 days, the specimen in question having 
been marked and recaptured. Their food consists of a 
varied diet of aquatic birds, cray-fishes, frogs, fish, 
water-voles, etc. 
When handled, the Eel, unlike Snakes, is very slimy 
to the touch, and its body is covered with small groups 
of minute scales. It is possessed of great tenacity, and 
will live for a long time out of water. When in their 
growing dress, these fishes are referred to as Yellow 
Eels, and in their breeding attire as Silver Eels. The 
former have brownish, greenish, or greyish on the back, 
with yellow on the sides and underneath. When the 
Yellow Eel is ready to go to the sea for spawning, it 
changes its under-dress to silver, the back being blackish. 
Both externally and internally there are other dis- 
tinguishing features as between one form and the other. 
Many points in the life-history of this interesting species 
still require elucidation, and the different changes under- 
gone by the young are still imperfectly known. Only 
during the last 25 years has our knowledge of the wonder- 
ful transition stages of the Eel become manifest, and much 
of its story is still wrapt in mystery. 
As showing that mistaken ideas still prevail regarding 
wild creatures, the following extract from a book by a 
Danish author (Carl Ewald) recently published clearly 
shows. ‘The translation reads as follows :— 
“When the Eel puts his head above the mud, Mrs. 
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