38 THE FISH OF DORSET. 



needle, in the Spring of the year, and that they will overcome 

 every obstacle in their path I can hear witness, for I have seen 

 them crawl up the perpendicular face of a wooden hatch some four 

 feet high wherever the surface was damp, to get at the higher 

 water above, and so continue their course up stream. How long 

 they remain in fresh water is not known, but towards Autumn, 

 when the rivers flood, large quantities of adult eels come down 

 into the estuaries to spawn and never return, and what becomes of 

 them is not known. An eel with mature spawn is so rarely found 

 that a full-sized drawing of one which had been sent to the 

 College of Surgeons, appeared in the Field of 21st December, 1895. 

 Since the above was written Professor Grassi seems to have 

 discovered that the adult eels only attain maturity in the depths 

 of the ocean, where in due time they breed, and from the eggs are 

 hatched the young Leptocephali which, after a certain time, assume 

 the form of the elver, and ascend the rivers. Eels hibernate in mud 

 and in bogs, and in banks of rivers and ponds, during which time 

 they do not seem to feed, but when warm weather sets in feed 

 greedily (mostly at night) on small fish, worms, and insects. 

 Couch IV., p. 306, PI. CCXXXIV., CCXXXV., and CCXXXVI. 

 Day II., p. 241, PI. CXLII. 



CONGER VULGAHIS. 



CONGER. 



This is essentially the salt water eel, and is never found in 

 perfectly fresh water, though it is often taken in harbours and 

 estuaries where the water is not wholly salt. It differs in many 

 respects from the common eel, both in colour, size of the eyes and 

 head, and consistency of the flesh, which is very white and firm. 

 The colour varies from black to white, according to the ground it 

 frequents, the darkest being found among dark rock and seaweed, 

 and the lightest on light sandy bottoms. They run to a large size, 

 having been taken over lOOlbs. weight. They feed best at night 

 when they come out of their holes among the rocks, and cruise 

 about on the smoother ground in search of food, which consists 



