The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-11
THAT MALE EEL.
Testimony from Fisherwnn who Kaows all
tho Tributaries OF the Delaware.

IHdi MdLb hhLs
Te.timeay from n Fishermnn who Kaows all
the Tributaries OF the Delaware.
eff Prof. Baird or Prof. Packard, who say |
that the malo eel found in Fulton Market some |
time ago is something never before found. will |
come up along the Delaware next fall. II can DO |
shown that the male eel is 30 common that fish
ermen throw it out OF their racks Thore isn't |
n man who ever had an eel-rack in othor tho |
Delaware or any OF its tributaries who would |
not DO glad to furnish for cent piece. all the
male cells he could catch in one autumn's run.
He'd soon make enough to buy him farm"
j. q. Sawyer OF Sawmll Rift. Pike County. |
Pa. has for forty years been an observer Of Ash
in the Delaware Rivor and It's tributaries. He has
fshod In most OF the streams aud lakes Of the
Delaware Valley. between tho head OF the river
and tidowater. Eos have been his favOrito study.
There IL "a great difference in tho looks and
habits OF the male and the female eel" no said.
4" can distinguish the sex Of coils In the dark.
especially when they begin 10 run down the
river in the fall. The female Ia plump and
round with q small head Along both sides she
Is lined with spawn This forms In the fall. but
does not mature until early in tho spring. The
eggs are 30 minute whom the cells begin TO run
down stream that their formation is not per-
coptible. But tako layer OF the spawn. cut a
the blade. and the form OF the eggs may
DO seen. The male eel is very poor In
the fail. His head Ia much larger than
the femules, The difference In the sexes is
very great You can hold male eel in your
hand 10y grasping the back Of his hoad. and no
can't slip his head through, your hand; But II
There Is n whitish substance along the lower
rlbe Of the male eel. but II is OF an entirely dit
The male eel il caught during the summer and
enrly fall on set lines and by fishing with he
rod and poo. i2male esl seldom I LAKES s, Dait
ach. Hhe lies In deep. still wator, and evidently
gives her entire time 10 tho duties Of genera;
glutton that swims. Ho fraauents sand bars
where tho shad mRkea her neat. and the shall
| low places where fish OF different kinds deposit
tholr spawn. Tho simple shad lays her eggs
| on the sand bars and patiently works them
under the sand with her tail. Then her mis-
Juno some fisher boy finds her dead along tho
shore. The male eel exhnmes the spawn ana
denco that the trout spawns In cold months.
whom tho eel is dormant Otherwise tho slimy
streams Of this royal fish. ,,,
1 was smusedto read that in 9 discussion
sis' Society. in New YORK. Mr.. Roosevelt s@id
| that the lHmprey was probably the female gel.
| ly marked as they are in tho silver col. be-
| sides. the lnmprey does not spawn until the
streams are full OF young silver eels from four
to six inches long. Along n June me lemhle
lamproy builds her most ia the riits OF the river
where tine water is swift. Her most Is deep
Sometimes lamprey will remove n wheelbar-
row load vi stones and earth In making hor
nest She attaches her sucker-ike mouth TO
i nT herself s 'S backward out ' Of the hole
A2 sSHS scs ha tSse
mouths 70 n stone they were struck.
As took the eel by the tail and pulled 1t up /
had TO put the stone into tho boat. too. 30 pow
crful In the suction In n lamproys mouth.
When tho lamprey Is depositing her spawn, the
male silver eel il on the watch. for lamprey
spawn Is "A choice mOrs"l with him. The lamp
rey. W does the shad, dies alter spawning. ana
lis cousin the male silver eel feasis on its eggs.
ia tho sand along the shore In the lall they are
found two or three feet below the surface. and
arc a favorite bait with nshermen for chubs.
cells, and bass. bang used chiefly on set lines. .,
some persons Ike lnmprcy GELS Tor food. III
you lay one Of them out in the sun In n few hours
II wi melt away like butter. and leave only q
muddy grease spot TO show that II ever lived.
But u YOU try to fry one IN pan Il Will grow
harder and tougher the more Il cooks. TO pre-
pare a lamprey eel for the table II must be cut
IN small pieces and stewed over slow hre The
lamprey col hash I a single bone in It's body.
About the lst Of June, II you stand on the
river bank nj the head Of tide, you will see =
baok moving mass near the shore. perhaps Of
the siz3 Of mans body. moving up stream:
| For days this mass moves on. with no sign OF
an ending. Looking closer you will SOC that
SO long and no bigger than u knitting needle
| They are on their way to the crooks and upper
waters OF the river, having Just been Matched in
the mud where the tide meets the water from
above. These mites grow 80 rapidly that by the
| time they nave COMO a hundred miles or so ~
the river they are from two 10 throe inches long.
When they run back early in tho fall they arc
from one foot 70 iliioen inches IN length,
" Eels begin their return TO tide in Septem-
Der, and the fishermen then place their racks
In the streams, or did until such fishing was
prohibited by law. The first catch Is almost
entirely OF eels that were hatchod In the pre-
ceding spring They are very fat. and Of OK
cellent flavor. After they are through running
the female eels appear. They are the faVOrltcs
with the fishermen. being in prime condition
With these there will be few males. The lat.
ter are called cuttings. and are assorted iron
or three weeks. Then the makes begin 10 pass
down stream. When they appear the Usher
men might rs well take their racks out Ms the
males are inferior in size and flavor and art
ostnsmed worthless.
% Tho Meti1ua Pond. in Sullivan County. Is
COO feet above the Delaware River. Thore is
perpendicular waterfall ON its outlet 100 fee
high. The pond IS noted for its cells. Nearly
all the mountain lakes in this region contain
above tide. Tho MoscOlinC Pond three miles
from IaeknwaNan. II alive with cells, On 10
outlet are several solid stone dams. one OF then
~ feet high. ii the cells swim out OF that pont
every fall. should like 10 know how they 20
bark IN tho spring.
Eels arc getting scArccr and scarcer ever
year along the Delaware. l can remembe
when our eel pots used Ia get 80 full OF cells tina
they would burst ] have known rs many ~
night and II was once no task at all 10 take
wagon load on n set line during one night. Al
eel weighing four pounds Is u very large one
but they have been caught in the Deawar
Weighing eight and a half pounds"