EEL. 77 



The Eel is extremely tenacious of life, and 

 may be kept many hours, or even days, out of 

 water, provided it be placed in a cool situation ; 

 it is even affirmed that it voluntarily leaves the 

 water at certain periods, and wanders about 

 meadows and moist grounds in quest of particu- 

 lar food, as snails, &c. The usual food of the 

 Eel consists of water-insects, worms, and the 

 spawn or eggs of other fish ; it will also devour 

 almost any decayed animal substance, which it 

 happens occasionally to find in its native waters. 

 It is viviparous, producing its numerous young 

 during the decline of summer ; these, at their 

 first exclusion, are very small. The errors of 

 the ancients on this subject, and even of some 

 modern writers, are too absurd to be seriously 

 mentioned in the present enlightened period of 

 science ; it appears, however, that both eggs 

 and ready-formed young are occasionally ob- 

 served in the same individuals, as is known to 

 be the case with several other animals. 



During the day the Eel commonly lies con- 

 cealed in its hole, which it forms pretty deep 

 beneath the banks, and which is furnished with 

 two outlets, in order to facilitate its escape if 

 disturbed : during the winter it chiefly conceals 

 itself beneath the mud, and on the return of 

 spring commences its excursions into rivers, &c. 



The general length of the Eel is from two to 



