The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
THE SECRET OF THE EELS.
The Old Problem Solved at Iast-ProE. GIL
Was RiEht-The Proofs Conclusive.

The Old Problem Solved ut Last-ProE. GIL
was RiGht-The Proofs Conclusive.
'For hundreds of years naturalists have been
seeking in vain to find out how cells are propa-
gated. The eel problem worried hundreds Of
generations, and now at last the secret is out.
It has been discovered by two italian biologists,
Prof. Grasst and his pupil, Signor Calandruccio.
In order to reach tho source Of this discovery we
must 60 back to 1893. At that time the natu-
ralist Pennant called attention to q singular lit
tie FISH that was then utterly unknown, and
which L. still found ct several points in the At
lnntic Ocean and especially In the Mediterranean
Sea. 1t Is a little creature as transparent as
glass, with q fiat body and very small fms. It is
almost entirely formed Of a gelatinous tissue. 1t
has no eyes and its blood Is colorless. For q
long time it was thought that 1t was q species
In itself, but nobody know where to place 1t in
tho family of creatures. In 1864 an American
scientist, Mr.. Gill, stated that these singular
little fishes were the larve of conger cells, and
in 1855 Professor Of the Sorbonne, NJ Yves
Delage, confirmed the statement Of Mr.. Gill
and proved by experiments that the little crea-
ture was q larva- He put one Of them into an
aquarium, where he witnessed Its transforma-
ton into a young conger eel.
Now tho larve in q~uestio. are plentiful In
Sicily, and particularly in the Straits of Mes
Eind- xIol. u pIOSuIUo q buliDCI VI
and kept them for q long time In an aquarium.
With Signor Calandruccio he witnessed the
metamorphosis of these Larvae. They all became
cells, some Of them congers and others of a diff
ferent species. But there was one particularly
small species which attracted their attention.
They watched it closely, and one day they
found 1t transformed into q common eel. The
greater portion OF the larve collected by Signors
Crasd and Calandruccio came from great
depths, 500 metres at least These larve come
to the surface by accident when torn from
their retreats by the currents and the commo-
tons SO frequent in the Straits Of Messina. The
conclusion, therefore, is that the production of
the cells is brought about very far from the
surface of the sea. Tho larva of the eel is
about seven or eight centimetres long, and the
y Dung eel, the result of the transformation is
I'VE are now. therefore, in a position to ex-
the time of ARISTOTLE. Reversing the habit of
the salmon, the eel comes down from the rivers
In the deep water it undergoes important
changes, according to the specimens observed
by the two italian scientists. Its eyes especial
~ acquire dimensions that they never attain
In fresh water. The color. also changes: The
eggs begin to ioat upon the surface OF the sen
not make their appearance until the following
spring. These larvB are found in the stomachs
OF fishes that are known to live in very deep
Is believed that 1t requires at least q month be,
fore they are transformed into little cells. The
reproduction in the different species is slow.
1t is estimated that there is an interval of two
years between the descent OF the adults from
the rivers to the sea and the return Of their
progeny. After remaining for a certain time in
and at last takes the road to the rivers. AS fol
the old eel. 1t romans in the sea, and 1t is the
general opinion that 1t dies very soon after
reproduction. Consequently, it never returns
to the fresh water. Such, In brief. is the mys
terry OF the eels, which Profs. Grassi and Cal
andruccio have clucidated. There remain nov
only O few details to study. 1t took a long
time to make tho discovery, but all's well tina
ends well. HENRI DE PARvILLE."
Now. II Profs. Grassi and Calandruccio will
tell us how cells grow in lakes and duck pond
far from the sea, 1t might be interesting read
ing. 1t is also strange that IN artificial pond,
in which fish have never boen placed. 1t take
little moro than two years to find them vel
stocked with various members Of the finn,
tribe. big and little, according to the nature o
tho soil.