126 FISHING GOSSIP. 



roam once more through his wide domain, and to pre- 

 pare for that sunny phase of his existence in which I 

 shall presently present him to the reader. Lastly, in 

 this brief record of his habits, he essays in some dark 

 and stormy night of November, or thereabouts, to 

 reach that Mecca of the ocean to which all true- 

 believing and orthodox eels endeavour to make a pil- 

 grimage, once at least in their life. It was in a 

 fruitless attempt of this kind that I recollect having 

 seen fifteen dozen of these intending emigrants taken 

 of a morning from a small weir or eel-trap, con- 

 structed under the arch of a bridge that spanned a 

 streamlet running out of a large lake, and not more 

 than six to nine inches deep. What struck me on 

 the occasion was not, of course, the number of the 

 captives, but the fact that there was not one in the lot 

 less than about three pounds, and many much more. 

 As they undoubtedly bred in the lakes, these annual 

 migrations to the ocean from which, unlike some 

 members of the salmon family, they seem never to 

 return present a problem which the fish philosophers 

 have not yet, I believe, solved. 



The instrumental requisites for sun-spearing are a 

 small boat and a spear specially constructed for the 

 purpose. Besides skill in the use of these agents, a 

 practical knowledge of swimming, or in lieu thereof 

 " a good conscience," is most desirable. Persons who 

 may never have had occasion to test practically the 



