31^ THE FAMILY OF EELS. 



gentleman of high scientific acquirements. As evidence to the 

 same purpose we quote some remarks from a paper in the 

 "Quarterly Review", written, I may be permitted to observe, 

 by the Eev. William Houghton, F.L.S., of Preston Rectory, 

 near Wellington, Shropshire; in which he refers to Mr. Young, 

 who, by digging in the month of October in the gravel 

 banks of the River Shin, found the place, as he says, "alive 

 with young Eels, some of them scarcely hatched, at the 

 depth of from five to fifteen inches." 



At the place where a river passes into the sea, the salt 

 water, from its greater specific gravity, flows beneath the 

 fresh, and there the young Eels are seen to mount from 

 below into the latter, although perhaps the downward current 

 may offer a more considerable obstruction to their progress. 

 This passage upward is performed by day, and it is said to 

 be suspended after night; but these little active creatures, all 

 of which are of one size, and not larger in the body than a 

 darning-needle, are persevering in their exertions, and, as far 

 as I have observed, go on in a loose arrangement near the 

 bank; but in the larger and deeper rivers they are described 

 as forming a closely-compacted company, in a rather narrow 

 but long extended column, where they are ready to seize the 

 advantage of every eddy or slack water in order to ease the 

 labour of their efforts. A formidable obstruction causes them 

 to sink to the bottom, and perhaps to hide themselves, but 

 the exertion is again renewed, and never without ultimate 

 success. 



They are known to climb up over high and steep ascents, 

 even to the extent of twenty feet above the water, when these 

 stand in their way; and this they do not only with perseverance, 

 but with no small amount of skill; of which we possess some 

 remarkable evidence from observation. This passing upward is 

 indeed in some degree regulated by the state of the season, as 

 being mild or cold; for while very young Eels have been 

 obtained at the ebb of the tide so early as the 2nd. of January, 

 after watching a river with care they have not been observed 

 passing up the stream until the middle of March, and rarely 

 even then. The more usual season begins with April, but 

 may not be until INIay, after which they do not cease through 

 the day, except under particular circumstances, presently to be 



