1'JO THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part r. 



for those cold six months : and this the Eel and 

 swallow do, as not being able to endure winter- 

 weather : for Gesner quotes Albertus to say, that in 

 the year 1125, that year's winter being more cold 

 than usually, Eels did by nature's instinct get out 

 of the water into a stack of hay in a meadow upon 

 dry ground, and there bedded themselves ; but yet 

 at last a frost killed them. And our Camden re- 

 lates, that in La?icashire , fishes were digged out of 

 the .earth with spades, where no water was near 

 to the place. I shall say little more of the Eel, 

 but that, as it is observed he is impatient of cold, 

 so it hath been observed that, in warm weather 

 an Eel has been known to live five days out of the 

 water. 



And lastly, let me tell you that some curious 

 searchers into the natures of fish, observe that 

 there be several sorts or kinds of Eels : as the Silver 

 Eel, and Green or greenish Eel, with which the river 

 of Thames abounds, and those are called Grigs ; and 

 a blackish Eel, whose head is more flat and bigger 

 than ordinary Eels ; and also an Eel whose fins are 

 reddish and but seldem taken in this Nation, and 

 yet taken sometimes. These several kinds of Eels 

 are, say some, diversly bred ; as namely, out of the 

 corruption of the earth, and some by dew, and other 

 ways, as I have said to you : and yet it is affirmed 

 by some for a certain, that the Silver Eel is bred 

 by generation ; but not by spawning as other fish 

 do, but that her brood come alive from her, being 



