THE HABITS OF EELS

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12491, 18 March 1909, Page 4

THE HABITS OF EELS

To tho Editor, of "The Colonist."

Sir, — I saw in your paper of. yesterday an account by Mr Gill of the true life of ' an eel, and also a statement by Df Schmidt; that the eel is . supposed to spawn somewhere in deep water! Now, my own opinion is that the eel does not spawn, but has young ones, .as I have on three different occasions fo\uid young eels in them 'in What is ■ generally called the wind bladder. One of the three was only half formed; the other two-wero fully developed, 'and about " the size of a small needle, but alive, : when I took tliem- outyof the mother eel. I have •seen young eels by the dozen an inch long.. The late Mr Heine informed me. once that he had watched one trying to get' up a bank into a hole about 'alfoot from the water, and when he went and examined. the hole he found one young eel in it an inch" long. I have never found iribre than one. young one- at-,a. time m them. By this you' fwill see that'^lie-account differs from 'that 'of Dr -Schmidt. Perhaps some one may be able to give a better ac-count-,of the habits of the eel. ■-"" I have been. over 64 years in New Zealand, .and have handled hundreds of ;them.r-rl am; etc., ' ■

. HENRY BENSEMANN. Upper Moutere, March 16th.