82 FISH CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
in Southern Greenland (?) and Iceland, latitude 65 deg. north; 
on the entire coast of Norway, from the North Cape, latitude 71 
deg., southward ; abundant in the Baltic and in the rivers ot Rus- 
sia and Germany, which are its tributaries, and along the entire 
western and Mediterranean coasts of Europe, though not present 
in the Black Sea, in the Danube, or any other of its tributaries, 
or in the Caspian ; occurring also off Japan and China.and For- 
mosa ; also in various islands of the Atlantic, Granada, Dominica, 
the Bermudas, Madeira and the Azores. 
GENERAL NOTE ON HABITS. [Professor Bairp.] 
The habits of the eel are very different from those of any other 
fish, and are as yet but little understood. 
“This; so far.as we know,” writes Professor Baird, “is the 
only fish the young of which ascend from the sea to attain ma- 
turity, instead of descending from the fresh to the salt water. 
Its natural history has been a matter of considerable inquiry 
within a few years, although even now we are far from having 
that information concerning it that would be desirable, in view 
of its enormous abundance and its great value as a food fish. 
“The eggs of the eel are for the most part laid in) the sea, and 
in the early spring, the period varying with the latitude, the 
young fish may be seen ascending the river in vast numbers, 
and when arrested by an apparently impassable barrier, natural 
or artificial, they will leave the water and make their way above 
the obstruction, in endeavoring to reach the point at which they 
aim. Here they bury themselves in the mud and feed on any 
kind of animal substance, the spawn of fish, the roes of shad, 
small fish, etc. At the end of their sojourn in the ponds oF 
streams they returnto the sea, and are then captured in immense 
numbers in many rivers in what are called fish-baskets. A V- 
shaped fence is made, with the opening down stream into the 
basket, into which the eels fall, and from which they cannot easily 
escape. This same device, it may be incidentally stated, captures 
also great numbers of other fish, such as shad, salmon, and other 
anadromous fish, to their grievous destruction. 
“As might be expected, however, the Falls of Niagara consti. 
