18 COMMON EEL. 



several having been discovered coiled together in 

 such situations. The usual food of the Eel con- 

 sists of water insects, worms, and the spawn or 

 eggs of other fishes : it will also devour almost any 

 decayed animal substance which it happens oc- 

 casionally to find in its native waters. The Eel is 

 viviparous; producing its numerous young during 

 the decline of summer: these at their first exclusion 

 are very small. The errors of the ancients on this 

 subject, and even of some modern writers, are too 

 absurd to be seriously mentioned in the present 

 enlightened period of science : it appears however 

 that both eggs and ready-formed young are oc- 

 casionally observed in the same individuals, as is 

 known to be the case also with several other animals. 

 It is pretended by several authors that the Eel can- 

 not bear the water of the Danube, and is therefore 

 never found in that river ; but Dr. Bloch assures us 

 that this is not strictly true ; though it is but rarely 

 found either in that river or the Volga. 



During the day the Eel commonly lies concealed 

 in its hole, which it forms pretty deep beneath the 

 banks, and which is furnished with two outlets, in 

 order to facilitate its escape if disturbed. During 

 the winter it chiefly conceals itself beneath the mud,, 

 and in spring-time commences its excursions into 

 rivers, &c. In some parts of Europe the Eel-fishery 

 is of surprising magnitude. We are informed by 

 Dr. Bloch that in some places near the mouths of 

 the Baltic so great a quantity are taken that they 

 cannot be used fresh, but are smoked and salted for 

 sale, and conveyed by waggon-loads into Saxony, 



