394 



AUTUMN AND WINTER 



congregate myriads of three-spined sticklebacks, themselves 

 drawn down by the surplus waters drained through the 

 sluices into the river. To the sea perpetually drift these 

 most vigorous of fishes ; and when the draw-netters sweep in 

 their captures of longshore herrings, codlings, smelts and 

 other marine species outside the harbour, these come ashore 

 kicking merrily and yet viciously, for they are as much at 



'FLOUNDERS ABOUND ON THE EAST COAST 



home in salt as in fresh waters. When winter locks the 

 shallow ditches it is more than probable the stickleback 

 pokes himself into the ooze, and even when it is more or 

 less hard frozen remains alive. 



In colder weather many eels disappear into the soft ooze. 

 Some are of immense size, and sometimes you may come 

 upon a * bed ' of them. But the greater mystery of the eel is 

 its migration. They usually move in September to the sea, 

 often in very compact bodies, and strangely little is known 

 of their subsequent movements. But they are only less 

 gregarious at this season than when they hibernate through 



