ON THE BEST KINDS OF FISH FOE EIVEES. 145 



in the mud or seek some hole in which to hyhemate. 

 It has been questioned whether the eels that so mi- 

 grate do so for the purpose of spawning in the brackish 

 water. I think it cannot be questioned that they 

 do spawn there, or whence those countless myriads 

 of small eels, which, under the name of "eel-fare,' 

 migrate from the brackish water up to the fresh in 

 many of our large rivers ? I have seen them in the 

 Erne, in Ireland, pushing their way up even from the 

 sea in countless millions, early ia the month of May. 

 1 think there can be no doubt that they spawn as 

 well in the brackish as the fresh water, but that if 

 they have the choice they prefer the warmer or 

 brackish water. Of late years, in the Thames, they 

 have not had this choice, owing to the filthy water 

 about London, in which it has been proved that eels 

 cannot exist. The consequence has been the dis- 

 continuance of "eel-fare," once a very striking and 

 remarkable sight, on the Thames. The eels have, it 

 would seem, from this circumstance, greatly dimi- 

 nished in numbers ;' and whether it be that the fresh- 



' Were it not for the above conditions, the eels which might be 

 taken during their periodical migrations at the wears on the Thames, 

 would, owing to the vast extent of the river itself, and its large 

 and numerous tributaries, be worth many thousands of pounds 

 a year ; whereas, now a very few hundreds — possibly not more than 

 one or two — represent the annual value of the eels taken on the 



