THE BEL FAMILY. 



387 



persons who purchase the produce of a season's fishing by 

 contract expressly stipulate that they will not take a single 

 Broad-nosed Eel, every eel — with a dexterity of eye and 

 hand worthy of a Robin or a Frikel, and only acquired by 

 long practice — ^is carefuUy counted, and aU Broad-nosed 

 ones thrown aside. And on this occasion there were only 

 three Broad-noses in the whole number. What becomes 

 of the immense quantities of Sharp-nosed Eels that de- 

 scend to the sea every season? Do they remain in the 

 brackish waters of the estuaries, or do they return in small 

 detachments at various periods ? This is a problem still to 

 be solved." 



These Eels are taken, during their descent, in wicker 

 baskets, termed "Eel-bucks," of which the engraving re- 

 presents the form. 



The final destination of the parent fish, after spawning 

 in the brackish water, we, as Mr. Pinkerton truly says, do 



s2 



