ORIGIN OF THE SILVER EEL; 45 



month. One year, while they were away, 

 a larger one made his appearance. When 

 I first saw him, he was scratching a hole in 

 a warm corner in an elevated terrace near 

 the edge of a walk leading to a summer- 

 seat. I wondered why he came there, as I 

 knew the other two had gone to spawn. 

 I had never seen one so large among the 

 spawners of his race, and I determined to 

 keep my eye upon him. In order to keep 

 him about me, I dug him a house in the 

 spot he had chosen, about nine inches deep^ 

 and laid a handful of moss at the bottom of 

 it. He entered it, looked around, and 

 appeared perfectly satisfied with his new 

 abode. He and I got very friendly, and in 

 a short time he allowed me to put my hand 

 upon his head, and would take a fly from 

 between my fingers. My daughters named 

 him, "Oberon in his Hall." He knew 

 every one of them, but when they wished 

 to introduce him to any of their acquaint- 

 ances, he slipped back into his hole, flatly 

 refusing to show his face to strangers. 

 If he heard me coming round his way, in 

 my customary morning walk, he would be 



