THE FAMILY OF EELS. 311 



portion of this roe was placed in a microscope, when there 

 were distinguished a large number of globular grains, some of 

 which, according to the notes then made, "were a hundred 

 times larger than others; from whence the conclusion is that 

 some are approaching to maturity, and that their exclusion is 

 in succession ;" a fact rendered certain by repeated observation. 

 It is added: — "It is impossible to imagine that all these 

 could ever have been hatched within the body, and still less 

 without the circumstance having been long since ascertained. 

 The small size of the orifice of egress is also a proof of the 

 same thing." 



When this roe was burned in the flame of a candle it 

 gave out a strong and peculiar smell, which resembled that of 

 the roe of a Ling or other fish when roasted, in proof of 

 which it was submitted to the judgment of one who was 

 well acquainted with such a smell, but who was not aware of 

 the object of inquiry; and the opinion of its nature was 

 decisive. The examination of this subject extended over 

 several years from 1828, but the subject was further traced 

 by my late son, Richard Quiller Couch, while residing at 

 Penzance, the particulars of which were communicated to the 

 "Zoologist," 1847, p. 1830. "Last summer," he observes, "I took 

 a quantity of mud from a spot much frequented by Eels, and 

 carefully examined it to see if there were any (ova) in it; 

 and, after testing several specimens without success, I was at 

 last gratified by observing the Eels, small and transparent, 

 lying on the surface almost motionless. They rapidly grew, 

 and in ten days acquired strength and size to swim about." 



It seems certain that when there is no hindrance these 

 fish will choose the sea, in harbours chiefly, in which to shed 

 their spawn, where it is scattered loosely in the sand or soil, 

 and from whence it may be dislodged and washed into deeper 

 water without injury; but there is proof also that it is 

 sometimes deposited at the bottom of a stream of fresh water; 

 and at a meeting of the British Association for Science a 

 gentleman mentioned as within his own knowledge, that on 

 the last day of August a considerable number of young Eels 

 were seen to rise up through a small opening in the sand 

 at the bottom of a small stream — the Ravensbourne; which 

 fact was further confirmed by the observation of another 



