52 THE EEL. 



this way they ascend waterfalls and swift streams 

 with great ease. The ground which they select for 

 a rendezvous is still deep water, with a soft hottom. 

 There are two kinds of the eel which frequent fresh 

 water streams and ponds. The best and handsomest 

 has a small head, with a tapering mouth a beautiful 

 white belly, and is pretty thick and fat in the middle 

 in proportion to his size. This, in Connecticut river, 

 is called the silver eel. Their flesh is light and of 

 delicious flavor, unlike the flesh of the other kind, 

 and when full grown are from two to three feet long. 

 The other description of eel to which we have al- 

 luded has a large mouth, with the under jaw extend- 

 ing beyond the upper. His head is larger, and his 

 tail broader and flatter, his belly of yellowish tinge, 

 and his flesh of a bluish color, which requires a good 

 deal of cooking to make it palatable. This kind is 

 the most plentiful, and frequents stagnant muddy 

 bottoms, while the " silver" species, though they like 

 soft bottoms, yet prefer to be near running water. 

 The eel breeds in the latter end of winter, and in no 

 case does he deposite his spawn in ponds, lakes, or 

 rivers. 



In angling for eels, you use a flax line, which 

 should be protected near the hook with gimp or wire. 

 The eel hook is used, of a size according to the ex- 

 pected size of your fish. The line should be of a 

 length suited to the depth of the water, with sinker 

 attached, and almost any pole of convenient heft will 

 answer. If you are fishing in fresh water, common 



