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TENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 83 
tute an impassable barrier to their ascent. The fish is very 
abundant in Lake Ontario, and until artificially introduced was 
unknown in Lake Erie. At the present time, in the spring and 
summer, the visitor who enters under the sheet of water at the 
foot of the falls will be astonished at the enormous number of 
young eels crawling over the slippery rocks and squirming in 
the seething whirlpools. An estimate of hundreds of wagon- 
loads, as seen in the course of the perilous journey referred to, 
would hardly be considered excessive by those who have visited 
the spot at a suitable season of the year.”* 
INTRODUCTION OF EELS INTO NEW WATERS IN THE UNITED STATES. 
In describing the geographical distribution of the eel it was 
stated that it occurs in the rivers and along the ocean shores of 
North America. This being the case, as might be supposed, 
there are many inland lakes and streams of the United States in 
which this fish does not occur ; for instance, in the chain of great 
lakes above Niagara Falls and in the upper waters of other 
streams in which there are considerable obstruc.ions. The cut- 
ting of canals in various parts of the country has, however, pro- 
duced a great change in their distribution ; for instance, it is 
stated by Mitchellt that eels were unknown in the Passaic above 
the Great Falls until a canal was cut at Paterson, since which 
time they have become plentiful in the upper branches of that 
river. They have also been placed in many new localities by the 
agency of man. Concerning this Mr. Milner remarks: 
“The eel (Anguilla bostoniensis), appreciated in some localities 
and much vilified in others, is another species that has been fre- 
quently transplanted. It is pretty evident that it never existed 
naturally in the chain of great lakes any higher up than Niagara 
Falls, although specimens have been taken in Lakes Erie and 
Michigan. Their existence there is with little doubt traceable to 
artificial transportation. 
“ A captain of a lake vessel informed me that it was quite a 
common thing some years ago to carry a quantity of live eels in 
*MS. note by Professor Baird. 
+Transactions Lit. and Phil. Soc. New York, L., p. 48. 
