Oticida Lake I'islus 407 



The Oneida 1-ake fishermen rejiort (Adams and Hankinson, '16, p. i6o> that 

 the largest catches of Itiels are taken during July and August, in the outlet of the 

 lake in Oneida Kiver at Caughdenoy, following an east wind blowing toward the 

 outlet. This suggests that the Eels go with the wind and the current, prolwhly as 

 a response to the surface current caused by the wind. I'eterson ('01, p. 20^ says 

 of the silver eels in Danish waters: "I have mentioned that the west wind drives 

 the eels into the eastern points of the Great Helt, but an east wind, which is much 

 rarer, can when it comes, drive them in the opposite way." I'etersen ('08) has also 

 shown that light has a powerful influence u]Kin the migration of silver eels. It 

 seems i)rubal)le that migration takes ])lace largely near the surface. Thus he (I.e., 

 'of<, p. 6) says: "Unless it Ik; consi<Iere<l that the eels migrate as a rule in the 

 ujjjjer layers. I do not understand h<>w the surface currents, the winil, and the 

 moonlight can have so great an influence <>n the migrations of the eels as they 

 actually have." These ol)ser\'ations on the wind and the current thus harmonizes 

 with those of Oneida Lake. 



The State law retpiires that eel weirs leave on the sides an oi)en area u feet 

 wide for the passage i>f boats, but a strij) 30 feet wide is left at Caughdenoy. .\t 

 taughdenoy the canal runs ])arallel to the river and when the gates are up, as in 

 the summer al 1917, a strong current flows down the canal. To this strong 

 current is attributed the small catches of Kels in n>i7. as it is supixtsed to lead the 

 lu'ls down the canal rather than by the feebler current over the dam to the eel 

 weirs. These two conditions permit I-'els to ])ass around the weirs: but Petersen's 

 ex])ericnce as to light suggests that these weirs might \yc so placed as to stop their 

 l>assage through the.se lM)at channels an<l to overcinne the tendency of the stronger 

 canal current and thus increase the catch jMissibly at slight expense. I-lxi)eriments 

 should Ik- made to test this idea. Ik-cpusc of its scientific an<l economic imiMirtance. 

 "It has been observed," remarks .Meek ('i*>, p. 157), " that the silver eels fre- 

 quently descend the rivers m.issed together in Iwlls, and it is prolwble that this 

 indicates how they are assoiiated during spawning. It is generally Ix-lieved that 

 the migration takes pl.ice only once in the life of the eel." .\ case is recorde<l 

 (Meek. I.e., ]>. i_V>) of an i'.el liaving lieen kept in ca])tivity for 37 years. Old 

 female V.rU reach the length of five to six feet. 



Mr. J. 1). Hl.ick informs us that in Oneida I-ike during alvtut the first two 

 weeks in June the Ivels are fotuid on gravel and stone l»ott<>m, and can Inr ap- 

 liri>.nche<l so easily as to give the impression that they are blind. Mr. \V. A. IVnce 

 of the KcMisevelt Station StafT has likewise observed wis in shallow water at night, 

 during early June, along the shore from Shepherds Point to Muskrat H.iy. Fol- 

 lowing this i>crio<l. during the May-fly or eel-fly season, they are fonn<l on eel- 

 grass, where Mr. lll.nck has seen them in spiral masses and tnngle«l Iwlls, varying 

 in si/e from a few individuals to Ivalls larger than a half -bushel measure. 



lliihitiit. It has Ucn shown that I-'els evi<lently breed in the oih-u sea far 

 from land, and sin-nd two or three years of their early life there. They then 

 ascend streams, the males tending lo remain in the lower waters and the females 

 to ascent to the he.nclwaters. In fresh water they live in a great variety of con- 

 ditions anil are verv hardy. Tlicy can live in warmer waters than nwny other 

 fishes can endure. After many years of life in fresh water ihry rettmi to the sea to 



