FISHES. 



271 



stragglers, and make a savoury morsel of these Lilliputian 

 truants. Indeed, the greater number of the whole brood 

 must have fallen a prey to their voracity, as it was only 

 some three or four that reached a size to place them be- 

 yond the power of their destroyers."* 



Some of our fishes perform long migrations in order to 

 deposit their spawn. The Salmon, for instance, ascends 

 rocky rivers from the sea, overcoming various barriers, 

 and leaping up cascades, to accomplish its purpose, with 

 indomitable perseverance and energy. The Eel, on the 

 other hand, descends rivers to spawn in the brackish 

 waters of estuaries, displaying equal determination. Of 

 this a curious example is said to occur annually in the 

 vicinity of Bristol. V£ -y \*&\ 



Near that city there is a large pond, immediately ad- 

 joining which is a stream. On the bank between these 

 two waters a large tree grows, the branches of which hang 

 into the pond. By means of these branches the young 

 Eels ascend into the tree, and from thence let themselves 

 drop into the stream below, thus migrating to far distant 

 waters, where they increase in size, and become useful and 

 beneficial to man. A casual witness of this circumstance 

 remarked that the tree appeared to be quite alive with 

 these little animals. The rapid and unsteady motion of 

 the boughs did not appear to impede their progress. 



Did space permit, we could furnish many entertaining 

 details of manners in this Class of animals, in their various 

 modes of taking prey; but we must content ourselves 

 with one. An interesting example of what we may be 

 allowed to call skill, is afforded by the instincts of some 



* " Anna's of Nat. Hist." Nov. 1S55. 



