THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



thing, as I have told you some swallows have been 

 observed to do in hollow trees 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 relates that in 

 Lancashire 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 seldom taken in this nation, and yet taken 

 sometimes. These several kinds of eels are, say 

 some, diversely bred ; and namely, out of the cor- 

 ruption 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 then 



