108 _ FISH CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
of brackish water; my observations do not prove. therefore, that 
male eggs enter fresh water. 
Dr. Jacoby found male eels in the lagoons of Commacchio, 
where the water is brackish. These males must have ascended 
in the “mountry” as fry, and probably at the approach of sexual 
maturity descend with the females to the sea. My investigations 
and those of Jacoby prove only this: that the young female eels 
do not necessarily break away from their parents and from their 
birth-places at sea, and entirely alone proceed upon their migra- 
tions, while the males scatter through the sea, but that their 
brothers seem to accompany them part of the way upon their 
journey. But how far? Do the males know where pure fresh 
water begins, and are the fry of different sexes found mingled 
together only at the river mouths? If we bear in mind the fact 
that the male organs had so long escaped discovery, that, on 
account of their crystal-like transparency, their detection in a 
fresh eel is so difficult, etc., may we not admit that past conclu- 
sions are probably erroneous, and that although thousands of 
fresh water eels have been studied by different investigators, 
male eels may yet be found in our streams, especially when more 
of the smaller individuals have been examined. 
2 * * x * s x 
Dr. Pauly then discusses the observations of Dr. Hermes who 
found 11 per cent. of males among eels taken at Willenberg, on 
the Elbe about 120 miles from the German Ocean, and no males 
whatever at Havelberg, 20 or 30 miles higher up the stream, and 
closes his essay with the following conclusion: ‘“ AZale eels 
undoubtedly ascend the rivers, but the numerical percentage of males to 
females appear to diminish as one proceeds up the streams.” This fact 
is opposed to the theory proposed by some one that young eels 
are at first of undifferentiated sex and have the tendency under 
the influence of fresh water to become females, under that of 
salt water to develop male characters.” 
STRANGE MISSTATEMENTS IN ICHTHYOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 
One may conclude from these observations that the eels pre- 
paring to spawn leave the inner waters early in December and 
