158 FISHES AND FISHING. 



tnight be introduced into some of our ponds, or rivers, 

 such as the Mole, the Wey, &c. 



Mr. Gmelin states, that the Tschoulyon Tartar 

 women wear boots made of the large skins of the eel 

 pouts. " Trusler's Habitable World described," 

 vol. iii. p. 240. 



The Gymnotus Electricus, or electric eel, which 

 was during many years one of the numerous attrac- 

 tions to the Royal Polytechnic Institution, was a 

 most curious specimen of the eel tribe. This one 

 was small when first exhibited to the public, with 

 another, supposed not to be exactly of the same 

 species; neither of them increased much in size, 

 until one died ; since which the survivor attained 

 the weight of nearly forty pounds. It was of a most 

 beautiful bright red colour about the head, and part 

 of his body; and his under fin, along the whole body, 

 played like an Archimedian screw. He was supposed 

 to be blind ; which is not uncommon to eels when 

 they grow to a large size, two being caught weigh- 

 ing twelve pounds each, in Cheshire, many years ago, 

 both of whom were blind. The electric eel was fed 

 every day with live fish, which he killed the moment 

 they touched the water ; he used to eat about thirty 

 roach and dace a-day. The man who attended and 

 fed him, was of opinion the fish knew him ; it used 

 to cost about a pound, or a guinea, a week, to find 



