233 FACT AGAINST FICTION, 



the attempted interference of man impossible by 

 a determined ^^ No," which neither the orni- 

 thologist, the skilful surgeon, nor the more mar- 

 vellous learning of the engineer can in any way 

 contravene. 



Wliile receiving information in regard to the 

 Irish salmon rivers before mentioned, I met with 

 the following news as to eels, to me of rather an 

 unaccountable nature. There is no doubt but 

 that the usual chain of ^^ elvers" up the pre- 

 cipitous damp rock can be seen closely packed; 

 and they say that in some instances the owners 

 of the fishery assist their ascent from the sea by 

 a long band or wisp of twisted straw. 



They assist them, though they know that the 

 breeding eels at certain seasons do leave their 

 rivers for the sea, that not one full-sized eel has 

 ever heen known to return. The only way in which 

 they could do so would be by the ladder, and 

 that they have never been known to do. 



Now this piece of information, if correct, comes 

 hand to hand with my English assertion, that 

 unless eels return from the sea as ^^snigs," or in 

 '^ snig condition," there is no proof that they 

 return at all. 



