180 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART L 



It is granted by all, or most men, that Eels, for about six 

 months, that is to say, the six cold months of the year, stir not 

 up and down, neither in the rivers, nor in the pools in which 

 they usually are, but get into the soft earth or mud ; and there 

 many of them together bed themselves, and live without feed- 

 ing upon anything, as I have told you some swallows have been 

 observed to do in hollow trees for those cold six months : and 

 this the Eel and swallow do, as not being able to endure winter 

 weather ; for Gesner quotes Albertus to say, that in the year 

 1125, that year's winter being more cold than usually, Eels did 

 by nature's instinct get out of the water into a stack of hay in 

 a meadow upon dry ground, and there bedded themselves ; but 

 yet at last a frost killed them. And our Camden relates, that 

 in Lancashire fishes were digged out of the earth with spades, 

 where no water was near to the place. I shall say little more 

 of the Eel, but that, as it is observed he is impatient of cold, 

 so it hath been observed that, in warm weather, an Eel has 

 been known to live five days out of the water. 



And lastly, let me tell you that some curious searchers into 

 the natures of fish observe that there be several sorts or kinds 

 of Eels : as the Silver Eel, and Green or greenish Eel, with 

 which the river of Thames abounds, and those are called Grigs ; 

 and a blackish Eel, whose head is more flat and bigger than 

 ordinary Eels ; and also an Eel whose fins are reddish, and but 

 seldom taken in this nation, and yet taken sometimes. These 

 several kinds of Eels are, say some, diversely bred ; as namely, 

 out of the corruption of the earth, and some by dew, and 

 other ways, as I have said to you : and yet it is affirmed 

 by some for a certain, that the Silver Eel is bred by genera- 

 tion ; but not by spawning as other fish do, but that her 

 brood come alive from her, being then little live Eels no big- 

 ger nor longer than a pin : and I have had too many testimo- 

 nies of this to doubt the truth of it myself; and if I thought 

 it needful I might prove it, but I think it is needless. 



And this Eel, of which I have said so much to you, may be 



