The Reproductive Power of Eels. 93 
mensely about May ist, when the lower screen in the 
trough was removed, and in the trough they were also found 
in solid masses of wriggling life. Eel-pots were set during 
this time in the main pond, and caught some large eels, 
but none of these contained spawn, and I have no knowl- 
edge whether they are viviparous or oviparous. But I am 
firmly persuaded that the supposition that they produce their 
young or deposit their eggs in the salt-water is a mistake. 
In the preceding year they had been in inky lines of 
countless numbers in the main stream. They had probably 
gone down the fish-way, which is placed in the dam at the 
flume; but last year they discovered the new and more 
feasible passage of my _ breeding-trough, and followed _ it, 
none, so far as I could ascertain, having recourse to their 
former method of descent. A few were seen at the outlet 
of the pipe which supplies the hydraulic ram, that is fed 
from the pond, but none, comparatively speaking, were to 
be seen in the stream below the pond or preserves. The 
trough and preserves were .an effectual eel-trap, from which 
I sent thousands of eels to other parts of the country, and 
which proved a good method of eradicating what I regard 
as the most fatal enemy of trout in Long Island waters. 
One event occurred, which at first seemed inexplicable, 
but which finally confirmed my theory. About May 22d, 
and when they had been over a month with me in immense 
quantities, and in spite of my efforts at extermination cov- 
ered the upper part of the bottom ‘of the first preserve in 
black masses, they suddenly disappeared. In a single night 
they seemed to leave together. At the time I was utterly 
puzzled to determine what had become of them. I won- 
dered if they had hidden themselves in the sand and gravel 
at the bottom of the preserve, or whether they had climbed 
