Eel, ftize, Structure, Reproductive Organs. 151 



Concerning dimensions, about 2 feet 4 inches has been the 

 maximum length within our ken in Leigh catches, though there 

 are many records of their attaining twice that elsewhere. The 

 minimum has been 4 to 6 inches in the " bait" boxes. But the 



FIG. 17. 



A, 



C. 



A. Thin slice of an immature ovary of the Silver Eel as seen under 

 the microscope. B. Similar section of that of the Conger. 



In A. the layer of fat-cells (shown in white) form the main mass, and dis- 

 tributed among them circles dotted within represent the unripe eggs. Fn 

 B. the same structures are shown of the Conger. (Both reduced after 

 Cunningham's figs, in Jour. Mar. Biol. Assoc. II. for May, 1891.) 



c. Thin slice under the microscope of the male organ (testicle) of the 

 Common Eel. The dark portions are the dotted sperm cells surrounded 

 by white lines, which indicate the blood vessels. (Reduced after Syrski's 

 fig. in Biol. Sec. Adriat. Sci. Nat. Trieste, 1875.) 



average size most commonly taken are 1 to 1 1 ft. long ; the 

 weight of the latter 6J oz. or thereabouts. Here it may be 

 noticed that the male eels seldom grow larger than the last 

 mentioned size, the big ones hitherto having been all found 



