Eel Development ; Sturgeon. 



155 



appeared spent. Are there Leptocephali in our estuaries ? H. 

 Wilder acknowledges more than once coming across little, 

 transparent, ribbon-shaped, eel-like fish in the Thames mouth.* 

 Whether congregation of eels in holes points to hibernation or 

 breeding purposes ? Antea Kerry and Outing's incident. Are 

 there eel-spawning grounds within our area where ? These 

 doubtless are scientific queries, but they tend towards more 

 practical matters connected with our fisheries, of which more 

 hereafter. 



FIG. 19. 



Assumed development oP the Eel. 



A. So-callod Leptocephalus. B. Transition stage or half-eel, c. Yonng 

 eel (or elver). All natural size. (Mclntosh after Grassi.) 



The Sturgeon Family (Acipenseridm). Within Kent and 

 Essex waters the COMMON STURGEON (Acipenser sturio) once had 

 high repute, the Thames and Medway being then noted for 

 the frequent visits of this Royal fish.f When these rivers 

 became polluted its advent slackened. It is rather rare around 

 S. and E. Kent, the nature of the ground less suiting its 



* Here special reference may be made to A. Scott's interesting ' Observations on 

 the Occurrence and Habits of Leptocephahis" in Rep. Lancashire 8. F. Laboratory for 

 1898. He clearly establishes their presence in numbers in the mud-flats at Rod island 

 (Piel Sea-Fish Hatchery) near Barrow. Our Thames grounds closely resembling the 

 above gives strong probability of Leptocephali being about. 



t The Corporation of the City of London's claims of jurisdiction over the Thames 

 fisheries to its mouth goes back to 1107 when Richard I. sold the rights to the citizens 

 on their raising money to enable him to enter on the Crusade in Palestine excepting 

 the interval when the power temporarily was delegated to the Company of Free 

 Fishermen of the River Thames, 1680-1780; but the Corporation retained their rights 

 up to 1856, when these were passed by Act of Parliament to the Thames Conservancy. 

 The subjoined is an edict early issued by the Corporation : " You shall further inquire 

 what Royal Fishes have been taken within the Jurisdiction and Royalty of the Lord 

 Mayor of London, as namely, Whales, Sturgeons. Porpoises, and such like, and to 

 present the Name and Names of all such persons as shall take them to the Lord Mayor 

 of London for the Time being." 



