THE EEL 161 



body becomes pigmented, teeth are developed, and 

 the larva has changed into a young Eel, or Elver, 

 about 2-J- inches long (PI. XXII, Fig. 5), which 

 commences to feed and grow. 



As a rule, the nearer the coasts or rivers are to the 

 spawning-places the earlier do the elvers arrive, the 

 greater are their numbers, and the less advanced is 

 their development ; thus some rivers are reached 

 before the metamorphosis is completed, and the 

 shrinkage continues in fresh water. The elvers com- 

 mence ascending some of the rivers in the west of 

 Ireland in the beginning of the winter, but do not ap- 

 pear to reach the Tay until April or May. However, 

 there are other factors besides geographical position 

 which determine the period of ascent; these are 

 not yet understood, but in the case of rivers which 

 are late, but from their situation should be early, it 

 is probable that the elvers spend some weeks off 

 the river mouths before entering. 



As Eels of all sizes are found in the sea round 

 our coasts it is evident that a good many do not 

 enter the rivers as elvers, and it may well be the 

 case that some may migrate into fresh water when 

 they have grown into fair-sized Eels. In the 

 spring and early summer the elvers enter many 

 of our rivers in enormous numbers, forming dense 

 columns, and wriggling over weirs or other obstacles 

 to their progress in swarms ; this migration of the 

 elvers is in many places known as an Eel-fare. 



The elvers are often captured and used for food, 

 but in many places it is the custom to assist them 

 in their journey in order that the future supply of 

 large Eels shall not fail. According to Yarrell, on 

 the Severn they were taken in great quantities with 



12 



