228 SALMONIA. 



attention, asserts, in the most unqualified 

 way, that they are viviparous. 



HAL. I remember his assertion, but I 

 looked in vain for proofs. 



PHYS. I do not remember any facts 

 brought forward on the subject; but tell us 

 what you think upon it. 



HAL. I will tell you all I know, which 

 is not much. This is certain, that there are 

 two migrations of eels, one up and one 

 down rivers, one from and the other to the 

 sea; the first in spring and summer, the se- 

 cond in autumn or early winter. The first, of 

 very small eels, which are sometimes not more 

 than two or two and a half inches long; the 

 second of large eels, which sometimes are 

 three or four feet long, and weigh from 10 to 

 15, or even 20 Ibs. There is great reason to 

 believe, that all eels found in fresh water are 

 the results of the first migration : they appear 

 in millions in April and May, and sometimes 

 continue to rise as late even as July and the 

 beginning of August. I remember this was 

 the case in Ireland, in 1823. It had been 

 a cold backward summer, and when I was 



