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There are four kinds of eel, three of which are very 

 common, the other being far more scarce. First, the 

 ,w'/r<?r eel, \vhich has a coffee coloured back, and a bright 

 belly j the head rather narrow, and somewhat conical. 

 This rarely reaches to a pound weight. 



Next, the green eel, which is much flatter, has a 

 deeper belly- rin, and has a belly something of a water co- 

 lour. This grows to about two pounds. 



Then the I- lack eel, which has a very dark coloured 

 back, and a yellowish belly. This often is seen of four 

 pounds, and some have weighed nearly eight ! If the 

 produce of clear waters, running chiefly on chalk, gravel, 

 or sand, they are well flavoured and wholesome; but 

 when taken from foul or stagnant waters, with muddy 

 bottoms, they are not only very unpalatable, but ex- 

 tremely unwholesome, often occasioning the cholera 

 tnorlus, and at times proving absolutely fatal. 



When eels of any description are taken from such wa- 

 ters, they should be put into a tub, or pan, with plenty of 

 good water from a chalk, gravel, or sandy bed, and have 

 about three or four inches deep of fine sand to work 

 into. 



In the course of a few days they will feed on crumbs, 

 malt, oatmeal, &c. j and by a week's end will have purged 

 themselves from that deleterious oil, engendered in the 

 slime they inhabited. 



The fourth kind of eel is the hawk's- bill -, it is ex- 

 tremely scarce, and rarely comes beyond the flow of the 

 salt water. It has a greenish back, with a beautiful 

 clear, brighttsh green belly. Its head is very small and 

 pointed, and the upper jaw hangs over with a littlo 

 hook, 



