36 ORIGIN OF THE SILVER EEL. 



opinion myself for five years ; but, on further 

 investigation, I lost every hook to hang a 

 thought upon. What I understand by 

 a parasite is this a class of animals whose 

 bodies are so constructed, and their natures 

 so inclined, that the one enables them and 

 the other compels them to deposit their 

 embryo progeny in the bodies of other 

 animals, either by piercing their bodies, or 

 placing them so as to be taken by the 

 tongue into the system, where they are 

 lodged until they are perfected, whence they 

 issue forth the very image in every respect 

 of the progenitor which deposited them. 

 Now, this cannot be the case with the silver 

 eel. It was never known to have spawn in 

 it ; it is consequently a neuter, a fact which 

 has been known for many years. My great 

 fisher-father, Walton, knew that the silver 

 eel was a neuter, and argues they have 

 neither roe nor milt as known organs of 

 generation ; but he solves the mystery in 

 another way than I do. He stoutly argues 

 that they are bred of corruption, in the 

 same way as some kinds of bees and wasps. 

 I have myself seen diseased and corrupt 



