230 The Common Eel 



caused by wind blowing along the surface of water. At this time 



they are irom 3 to 4 inches long. The 



migration continues for about a fortnight, 



during which nothing seems too difficult 



for them to surmount. If the rush of 



water is too strong tor them, they wriggle 



^ up the side among the wet grass. On 



- one occasion a larofe stone had fallen out 



-I ot the side of a bye-wash and left a 



|. large opening, which on examination 



£ was lound to contain a living mass of 



H eels. I put a pitcher underneath it, 



"5 stirred up the eels, and withdrew the 



pitcher full ol them, while many others 



^ made good their escape. At this time 



T whitling, sea-trout, and brown trout 



^, gorge themselves with the young elvers. 



^ After the young fry pass up (Fig. 



? 212) older eels from 6 to 30 inches 



^ long continue during the whole summer 



^ to advance higher up. I have proved 



I this on many occasions by shutting oft 



-3 the water from mill-wheels and finding 



p eels wriggling below in great numbers. 



They run most during the night. On 



" the I St of August last year I had occa- 



~ sion to watch the water passing through 



a sluice at Loch More. The force of 



the water was so great that the eels 



were unable to push through, and at 



midnight the pool below the sluice was 



a seething mass ot eels of all sizes up 



to 30 inches long, but as soon as the sun appeared in the morning 



none were to be seen, all having fallen back into the pools below. 



