232 SALMONIA. 



planed, and five or six feet perpendicular. 

 He says, when they first rose out of the water 

 upon the dry board, they rested a little 

 which seemed to be till their slime was thrown 

 out, and sufficiently glutinous and then they 

 rose up the perpendicular ascent with the same 

 facility as if they had been moving on a plane 

 surface. (Trans. Abr. vol.ix. p. 311.) There 

 can, I think, be no doubt, that they are assisted 

 by their small scales, which, placed like those 

 of serpents, must facilitate their progressive 

 motion: these scales have been microscopically 

 observed by Lewenhoeck. (Phil. Trans, 

 vol. iv.) Eels migrate from the salt water of 

 different sizes, but I believe never when they are 

 above afoot long and the great mass of them 

 are only from two and a half to four inches. 

 They feed, grow, and fatten in fresh water. 

 In small rivers they are seldom very large ; 

 but in large deep lakes they become as thick 

 as a man's arm, or even leg ; and all those of 

 a considerable size attempt to return to the 

 sea in October or November, probably when 

 they experience the cold of the first autumnal 

 rains. Those that are not of the largest size. 



