Page:British Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fresh-water Fishes.djvu/96

BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES being that the disturbance caused to the water sets them wandering. One Eel has been known to travel nearly 800 miles in 93 days, the specimen in question having been marked and recaptured. Their food consists of a varied diet of aquatic birds, cray-fishes, frogs, fish, water-voles, etc.

When handled, the Eel, unlike Snakes, is very slimy to the touch, and its body is covered with small groups of minute scales. It is possessed of great tenacity, and will live for a long time out of water. When in their growing dress, these fishes are referred to as Yellow Eels, and in their breeding attire as Silver Eels. The former have brownish, greenish, or greyish on the back, with yellow on the sides and underneath. When the Yellow Eel is ready to go to the sea for spawning, it changes its under-dress to silver, the back being blackish. Both externally and internally there are other distinguishing features as between one form and the other. Many points in the life-history of this interesting species still require elucidation, and the different changes undergone by the young are still imperfectly known. Only during the last 25 years has our knowledge of the wonderful transition stages of the Eel become manifest, and much of its story is still wrapt in mystery.

As showing that mistaken ideas still prevail regarding wild creatures, the following extract from a book by a Danish author (Carl Ewald) recently published clearly shows. The translation reads as follows:—

"When the Eel puts his head above the mud, Mrs. 78