390 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



it is possible the Eels may eat the greater part of their 

 own families." * 



Tame Eels are known in various parts of the world. 

 They are very common in Otaheite, where, according to 

 Ellisf, they are domesticated and are fed until they at- 

 tain an enormous size. These singular pets are kept in 

 large half-filled holes 2 or 3 feet deep, on the sides of 

 which they usually remain, unless called by the persons 

 who feed them. Mr. Ellis was present on one of these 

 occasions. The young Chief to whom the house belonged 

 sat down by the hole and gave a shrill whistle, when an 

 immense Eel instantly issued forth and moved about over 

 the water, eating readily out of his hand. 



If Eels are kept in confinement and not closely covered 

 up, or shut in with smooth steep sides, they will almost 

 certainly make their escape generally in the night-time 

 and travel overland to any water which may be in their 

 neighbourhood. The same thing occurs on a stream or 

 pond being dried up in summer, when the Eels will quit 

 it and wind through the wet grass in search of another. 

 Occasionally they appear to migrate in this manner in 

 pursuit of frogs and other suitable food, and at other times 

 merely from a desire to change their residence. 



There are some ponds that continually produce Eels, 

 even where great efforts are made to get rid of them owing 

 to their destructiveness to the spawn and fry of other fish ; 



* Edinburgh New Phil. Journ. for April 1841. 

 t Polynesian Researches, vol. ii. p. 286. 



