293 Sdentijic Intelligence. 



small center channel which constituted the original stream and de- 

 scended through the gateway of the dam in search of a more favora- 

 ble retreat. 



Below the dam the brook descends from one level Jo another among 

 the rocks, forming little pools one or two feet in depth and a few feet 

 wide, in which large quantities of fallen leaves had accumulated. Be- 

 neath these the eels retreated. The weather had been cold for many 

 weeks and the surface of the pools was thickly congealed and fre- 

 quently involved the leaves and the eels. 



On an extreme cold morning my brother-in-law, Caleb Atwater, now 

 of Atwater in Ohio, a Mr. Hall of Durham and myself visited the 

 place, prepared for a fishing exploit — not however in accordance with 

 the nice directions of that prince of fishermen, Isaac Walton, but 

 armed with an axe, shovels and baskets. 



VVe were not the first to visit the ground. The foxes had ranged 

 over them and the remains of many an half-devoured eel showed that 

 Reynard is a skillful disciple of honest Isaac though perhaps he never 

 read Isaac's interesting book. 



Our operations commenced by cutting large portions of the ice from 

 the surface of the pools — then we found very little difficulty in crowd- 

 ing the eels with the wet leaves into the basket by means of our shov- . 'A 

 els, A dozen or more were frequently taken at a time. The severity 

 of the weather rendered them rather dull though they were able to 

 swim with some activity. 



As soon as they were secured in the basket they were thrown among 

 the snow, and as the temperature was very little above zero they were 

 at once congealed without a struggle. 



We returned at evening to my residence in Durham, with my sleigh 

 loaded to its utmost capacity with frozen eels. The quantity was not 

 less than eight or ten bushels. 



During the night they were placed in a cold and exposed room and 

 were literally as stiff and almost as brittle as icicles. The next morn- 

 ing a tub was filled with them into which was poured a quantity of 

 water drawn from the well and they were then placed in a warm stove- 

 room for the purpose of thawing. In the course of an hour or two the 

 family were astonished to find them resuscitated and as active as if 

 just taken during the summer. 



The experiment was tried with a number of tubs full during the day 

 and with similar results. 



How long they would have retained their vitality sufficient to allow 

 of resuscitation I know not — but the presumption is that it would not 

 diminish so long as they were preserved at a temperature much below 

 the freezing point. 



The eel is known to be more tenacious of life than many more deli- 

 cate species of fish, yet it is believed that even tenderer kinds can be 



resuscitated after having been suddenly frozen at the moment they are 

 captured- 



We should be gratified to learn from some of the people about 

 Markham's pond whether a similar occurrence has been known In re- 

 cent years, of the descent of the eels from the reservoir. It had once 

 happened a few years previous to that above noticed. 



Cleyeknd, Ohio, July 15, 1850, J. P. KiKTLAND. 



