Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-02-07
EELS ARE MYSTERY
Phases of the Existence Of Slip
perry Creatures.
They Spawn in the Deep Sea, Migrate
to Fresh Water, but Return to
Place Of Birth Before Disap-
pearing Forever.

'"e' " = ~
Pea''"9 r0'e'1''
Inc eel reaches us greatest ue'''-
opment IN America along 'nt a ''.''' '''
seaaoard ana rivers dlsc.'a'E'ns '"1''
on Dut II is l"uhu III aO-ApdH' -
Nlle7 IN ,Ne great l-.>59. l"' Hu'' ~
Mexico ana the MISSISSIPPI rive. anu
It's tributaries. says Aozh 'l' 9i''l'I'
United states commissioner Oh .'s'''
and hsneri's. IN the Na.loha' '''''
ETaIh'e7i --+4..@.'.... - s--l''-'i
cies Is found IN western EUROPE '.7
Aediter,an sea- ana a5 Tar -ollh as INC
Azores. ln America ellis are lobhu al
along the eastern coast OF hIallL
The eel is most valued as 1000 III
Germany and the ScanalnaN IAN oouF
tries of northern Europe ailhoueH i'
j. eaten TO some extent IN an 'O"H.
tries where it is found. ProH'ao'e
eel farms are conducted IN NORWAY
The Danes are perhaps the elea.e7l
consumers OF eels, the eaten IN 'h"l
nation being greater ihan lor al
wa ~
Practically nothing Is known ol '-e
spawning OF cels and htlle OF IheH
early life. It is known thaI "heH
they are about year Ola 'heH SEE"
fresh water. Eels take no houIISH
ment during this PERIOD. NHtH "'9
known they are fiat ana TRANSLUCENT
large dark eyes being the oni! paI'7
inches long. During the year '''s
drift with the tide ana wind ana SI"u.
Tally assume the shape Oh the eel u
commerce.
As soon as they reach Iresh water
physical changes begin 10 take p'aoe.
They become broWnlsh IN coioI anu
later very dark. Inc fresh water M
grafton comes IN the la'e "'N'ei VI
spring. Nhen IuI grown 'H'z io'''' =
TO salt water and disappear. H-'' III
grafton takes place IN the ran.
When the eel is ready LOT us ue
parture from fresh water II unuer
/ goes peculiar changes. Inc eyes IL
the male become nearly Twice 'Ieii
, normal size and both sexes lose Jheli
dirty yellow green color, pecoIiiIHs
, silvery. They travel down stream
= mostly at night, and once they reaci
= the open sea all knowledge OF 'hel
, habits becomes obscure. 1t Is known
. that they never spawn WITHIN thou
S sand feet of the surface and II IS De
Y lieved that they undego a general Dc
generation or iellifcation or tissues
They never return to fresh water h''
have they been caught at sea
The female eel Is the larger ana Oh
most usually caught for food. ANY &c
' 16 inches long is most hhely
, male while any more thah 10 lhcue
long is certain to be NO eel WIN Tip
4 eggs has ever been tound ana Oily on
mature male has ever been causn
That one, IA inches long was louh
off the coast of Denmark.
1t is believed that the eel IS the mos
prolific of all backboned creatures. n
i average sized eel VIII produce iroi
100000 to 1O,OOO,OOO eggs IL Is est
~ mated, while larger ones VIII Pr
70 duce 2O,OOO,OOO.
" Eels are feeble swimmers ana Ihe
- favorite food Is the roe OIL Ishes' INC
20 like humans, being particularly IoN
of shad roe. In TINS way eels Ue0U ,it
s. very destructive OF other nSn III
. They will attack hsh caught III y
u nets. but never otherwise
% The strangest Iacts ABOUT me
~ that they take no 1000 III me Id
:, stages says MT oml'h ney elne e
:" from an egg less IMAM one l" en'S III
IS of an inch IN diameter anu ero" "
IehsIn Vi pei n"P ~ 49, =
u in a year, drl1tlng l'ooo lnlles Vi nv
Is on the sea. yet take no Ioou. " IN
OF they reacn fresh water ,iieli uieea''
organs nave Just reacneu Suin0'eii'