38 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



viviparous, and appears to choose the sea as its 

 spawning (?) place." He, moreover, quotes from a Dr 

 Shaw, who held that " both eggs and ready formed 

 young are occasionally observed in the same 

 individuals." 



Ovaries were first discovered in the eel in 1707, 

 by Dr Sancassini, of Comacchio ; they were sub- 

 sequently more fully described by Mondini and 

 Miiller, and in 1824 were figured by Rathke. In 

 1873 the male organ was recognised by Dr Syrski. 

 The delay in finding the distinguishing organs of the 

 male fish gave rise to the erroneous idea that eels 

 were hermaphrodites. It was not until quite recently 

 (1896) that the various stages in the reproduction of 

 the eel were fully revealed by Professor Grassi, of 

 Rome. 



The occasional presence of small eels in land- 

 locked waters is probably due to their having 

 entered these lakes or ponds, either during flood 

 time, or over land, since : " There is no doubt that 

 Eels occasionally quit the water, and when grass 

 meadows are wet from dew, or other causes, travel 

 during the night over the moist surface in search 

 of frogs and other suitable food, or to change their 

 situation " (Yarrell's British Fishes}. 



The following is Taverner's account of the migra- 

 tion' of the eel: 



And if there run any water from your pond, you 

 shall not possible keepe Eeles out of the same, 

 they will come into the same against the streame. 



