1 64 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART i. 



found it, eat no more than is sufficient, lest thou surfeit, for it is 

 not good to eat much honey." And let me add this, that the 

 uncharitable Italian bids us "give Eels and no wine to our 

 enemies." 



And I will beg a little more of your attention, to tell you that 

 Aldrovandus, and divers physicians, commend the Eel very much 

 for medicine, though not for meat. But let me tell you one 

 observation, that the Eel is never out of season; as Trouts, and 

 most other fish, are at set times ; at least most Eels are not.* 



* The haunts of the Eel are, weeds, under roots, stumps of trees, holes, and clefts of 

 the earth, both in the banks and at the bottom, and in the plain mud, where they lie 

 with only their heads out, watching for prey. They are also found under great stones, 

 old timber, about floodgates, weirs, bridges, and old mills. They delight in still waters, 

 and in those that are foul and muddy ; though the smaller Eels are to be met with in all 

 sorts of rivers and streams. 



Although the manner in which Eels, and indeed all fish, arc generated, is sufficiently 

 settled, as appears by the foregoing notes, there yet remains a question undecided by 

 naturalists ; and that is, whether the Eel be an oviparous or a vivitarout fish ? Walton 

 inclines to the latter opinion. The following relation from Bowlker may go near to 

 determine the question : 



" Being acquainted with an elderly woman, who had been wife to a miller near fifty 

 years, and much employed in dressing of Eels, I asked her whether she had ever found 

 any spawn or eggs in those Eels she opened ? She said she had never observed any ; 

 but that she had sometimes found living Eels in them, about the bigness of a small 

 needle ; and particularly, that she once took out ten or twelve, and put them upon the 

 table, and found them to be alive ; which was confirmed to me by the rest of the family. 

 The time of the year when this happened was, as they informed me, about a fortnight 

 or three weeks after Michaelmas ; which makes me of opinion that they go down to the 

 sea, or salt water, to prepare themselves for the work of propagating and producing 

 their young. To this I must add another observation of the same nature, that was made 

 by a gentleman of fortune not far from Ludlow, and in the commission of the peace for 

 the county of Salop ; who, going to visit a gentleman, his friend, was shown a very fine 

 large Eel that was going to be dressed, about whose sides and belly he observed a par- 

 cel of little creeping things, which at first made him suspect it had been kept too long; 

 but, upon nearer inspection, they were found to be perfect little Eels or Elvers : upon 

 this it was immediately opened in the sight of several other gentlemen, and in the belly 

 of it they found a lump about as big as a nutmeg, consisting of an infinite number of 

 those little creatures, closely wrapped up together, which, being put into a basin of 

 water, soon separated, and swam about the basin. This he has often told to several 

 gentlemen of credit in his neighbourhood, from some of whom I first received this 

 account: but I have lately had the satisfaction of having it from his own mouth ; and 

 therefore I think this may serve to put the matter out of all doubt, and may be suffi- 

 cient to prove that Eels are of the viviparous kind." 



Taking it for granted then that Eels do not spawn, all we have to say in this place is, 

 that though, as our author tells us, they are never out of season, yet, as some say, they 

 are best in winter, and worst in May. And it is to be noted of Eels, that the longer they 

 live the better they are. Angler's Sure Guide, p. 164. 



Of baits for the Eel, the best are, lob-worms, loach, minnows, gudgeons, bleak, or 

 small frogs. 



As the angling for Eels is usually attended with great trouble and risk of tackle, many, 

 while they angle for other fish, lay lines for the Eel, which they tie to weeds, flags, &c., 

 with marks to find them by ; or take a long packthread line, with a leaden weight at the 

 end, and hooks looped on at a yard distance from each other ; and fastening one end, 

 throw the lead out, and let the line lie some time. And in this way Pike may be taken. 



The river Kennet in Berkshire, the Stour in Dorsetshire, Irk in Lancashire, and 

 Ankham in Lincolnshire, are famed for producing excellent Eels : the latter to so great 

 a degree, as to give rise to the following proverbial rhyme : 

 Ankham Eel, and Witham Pike, 

 In all England is none sike. 



But it is said, there are no Eels superior in goodness to those taken in the head of the 

 New River near Islington. H. 



