"SUN-SPEARING." 137 



the eel-hunter will not have to travel far for sport. 

 However naturalists may decide his mode of propa- 

 gation, the eel is a capital breeder ; and numerous 

 specimens of the larger kind are sure to be met with 

 on these occasions. They would seem indeed to be 

 the sole lords and masters of the lakes on fine days of 

 this kind, scarcely any other fish appearing to dispute 

 possession. If rarely a large trout or pike looms in 

 the distance, they instantly get up steam, on sighting 

 Dingey, and shunt into deep water. Our venerable 

 friend the squire need therefore be under no appre- 

 hension that any improper use of the spear can be 

 made in lakes under present circumstances. Trout 

 and pike would seem, on days of this kind at least, 

 to be perfectly competent to take care of themselves 

 without the aid of the game-laws. The eel himself 

 on some days, though apparently favourable in all 

 respects, evinces the same shyness as trout and pike 

 in a very remarkable degree. No sleight of hand will 

 bring him to book while in this nervous mood. The 

 moment the spear enters the water above him, he 

 smells a rat, and in the next instant is " full fathoms 

 ten" out of sight in the darkest abysses of the pool 



There is one now, however, in our track, whose 

 steadiness I would venture to endorse. The tyro 

 will observe that he is in a totally different position 

 from the last capture ; he is standing right on top of 

 his head, and describing with his tail, in the most 



