A GOLDEN EEL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 22 January 1927, Page 4

A GOLDEN EEL.

FREAK ON EXHIBITION

FISH INSTINCT

The golden eel which was caught in me ivaupoKonui stream .some weeks u ,g ;j . JS now on exhibition in Messes , i>*auieU. and. Sutton.A window. The creature attracted consiuerahle attention to-day. It lias lived up to the reputation of its species. \Viien brought into the premises ol the firm last evening, the eel was accommodated in a grass box, containing six inches of water. The only outlet was through. ia ieed pipe at the top of the box. xhe .staff received the eel liate in the afternoon, and stored it until arrangements had been made for putemg it nr the show window. Upon inspecting the box later, it was found that the" eel hart disappeared, apparently by wriggling up to the ieed pipe, and going down a riglil> anglo-d turn. A .search of the room was next instituted. The slippery yellow freak had “got in rather badly” with a, big bundle of shavings and paper, which enveloped it. Leaving that uncongenial resting place for one seemingly less attractive, the orange hued tourist wriggled up onto a shelf among a lot of hinges, from which uncomfortable resting place it was removed, and placed again in its natural element. Mr P \V. Sutton, informed a reporter of The Star that eels were capable of wandering long distances from the streams where they make their homes. While out fishing, sard Mr. Sutton, local anglers had at night found eels ias far" as fifty yards from the nearest water. Further, their sense of the direction in which their watery refuge lies is very highly developed, *<nid persists "Gv-gh d^3.uli is closing upon them, and where consciousness .is scarcely apparent. After catching eels at night (our reporter was informed) local fishermen have taken their wriggling catoli upwards of forty yards from the water, and there apparently despatched the creatures, only to find on their -return to j bag the proceeds of the evening’s sport, that some of the eels had disappeared. For the purpose of whether or not the eels actually did recover and make again for their accustomed haunts, members of one party decided to put the eel’s vitality and scn c e of direction to-‘the test. Upon a. number of the fish being caught thov were knocked on the head, 'and left apparently lifeless. Tlie party pto.yl back and left the fish for some minutes. Eventually in several of the p piiq there amaeared signs of vetumjner fo cousciousnesis. and with it the bodies wriggled round, and. before be-tho.-oughlv despatched, had made efforts to move in the direction of the f .f c.-oni winoli they had been l-M.-on. The members of that party non- take .special precautions to ensure that, the eels tliev catch are expeditions! v .and thoroughly dispatched.