THE ELECTRIC EEL 283 



lays an enormous number of eggs — estimated at ten millions 

 — preferably in salt water; but the young enter fresh 'water to 

 develop and ascend as far as they can go. 



The Electric Eel 1 of South America is an Eel worth 

 knowing. Having had with it some thrilling experiences, I 

 can speak of it feelingly. 



Once while canoeing for zoological specimens in the delta 

 of the Orinoco, we entered a large creek flowing into the 



THE ELECTRIC EEL. 



main stream from the south, and ascended it to the head of 

 canoe navigation. It was a clear and beautiful stream, full 

 of zoological wonders, and its Venezuelan name was Canyo 

 del Toro, or Bull Creek. On the way up, our bow boatman 

 checked the speed of the canoe, pointed to a straight, round 

 stick of wood floating in the water about a foot below the sur- 

 face, and said in an awestruck tone, " Tremblador! Grande!" 



The stick of wood was smooth, barkless and of a bluish- 

 gray color; and in reality it was a large specimen of the 

 renowned and dreaded Electric Eel. 



Acting on the collector's principle that the first specimen 



1 Gym-no'tus e-lec'tri-cus. 



