Tl)e Common Eel. 



MUCH has been written about the eel that is 

 to-day absolutely valueless in the light of 

 scientific research into the natural history of 

 this fish, prosecuted by scientists chiefly in Europe; 

 and when I was asked by Dr. John D. Ouacken- 

 bos, of Columbia University, to " tell us some- 

 thing about eels," I gathered together bits of 

 information from various sources regarding the 

 common eel and sent the result to Forest and 

 Stream, and that paper has given its consent to 

 the re-publication of my article in this report, 

 and I give it herewith as originally written in 

 my Angling Notes in that journal. 



tingling Notes. 



THE EEL SPEARERS, 



m EELS. 



■ 



Dr. Quackenbos, who received the following 

 letter, sent it to me with some comments of his 

 own, and I copy both. The letter is dated Rail- 

 way, New Jersey, and reads as follows : 



"The papers you sent me make me think of 

 the time when we were boys fishing on the 

 Rahway River on River street, shaded by large 

 willows, water beeches, oaks and grapevines, with plenty of fish and clear sparkling 

 water. I was skating last week from Gibbs' Island up to Bondley's on River street, 

 and had lots of fun, but the water is so black from the dye factories above that we 

 could not drink it, and all the fish die off, and the willows and other large shade trees 

 are gone. Do you know anything about eels ? I was told by a friend that there is a 

 man on Staten Island who raises eels for market and does well with them, as he will 

 not dress and sell them until two pounds in weight, and he sells only when there is a 

 demand for them and they command a high price. This is the way he came to raise 

 eels : There is a salt-water creek on his farm, and he thought he could rear ducks at a 



profit, and hatched out a large number and kept them on and in the creek, and 



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