xvn. EELX AND ELVEJtS. 237 



coursing. Thus it passes into the pulsating chambers and 

 so out by small orifices at the back of the chambers, and 

 just below and in front of the pectoral fins. Most fishes 

 have two pairs of fins, the pectoral and the pelvic ; but 

 our little elver, like all the eels, has only one pair, the 

 pectoral, which are rounded, beautifully delicate and 

 transparent, and supported by thin, soft rays. These fins 

 are not, however, by any means the main organs of pro- 

 pulsion, progress through the water being mainly effected 

 by the waving, sinuous motion of the whole body, which is 

 flattened more and more as you approach the tail-tip. 

 A little more than half an inch behind the head the back 

 begins to be fringed with a delicate, soft-rayed, median 

 fin, which, passing round the tail to the under-surface, 

 runs along that surface to a point about half an inch 

 further back than it started in the dorsal line. 



Those who are wont to regard eels only as " nasty slimy 

 things " (when they have their skins on), or as exceeding 

 good eating (when stewed for supper), will hardly believe 

 that the motions of the eel in swimming are full of grace 

 and beauty. As they swim backwards and forwards in 

 my tank, in the patch of sunlight that seemed to quicken 

 them to renewed life and activity, I cannot but admire 

 again and again the consummate ease with which they 

 dart hither and thither, and especially the readiness with 

 which they turn in the shortest possible space, the head 

 being well on its way in a new direction before the tail 

 has deviated at all from the old. There are, however alas, 

 that it should be so ! some people so dead to the higher 

 cultus of Nature, that even the sinuous curves of the elver 

 as it cleaves the water awakens no feeling for the pas- 

 sionate poetry of motion. Such an one stood by my side 

 not an hour ago. He enquired, in hard, unmoved tones, 

 " What new worms I had there ? " And when I drew his 



