The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-22
EEL'S BREEDING
PLACE DISCOVERED
Spawn In Deap Sea OFF Bermudas :
European and American Species
Do Not Mix.

WASHINGIUN, July %. ASSOCIATED
Press. THE eolhmon, everyday, mud
hole cells, the problem of fishermen
especially the small boy, when it comes
to taking him of hook, is an elusive
subject, but his life history typifes one
OF the maryels of the sea, and recent
announcements have added to his repu-
tatioI.
Reports have just reached here of the
success of Danish expedition to the
Bermudas, in answering the ancient
question of the cells origin. Headed
by DIR. jobs. Schmidt, director of the
Carisbeg laboratory, OF Copenhagen, the
party, on the ship Lana, has been search
ing the seas for seven months to find
where the eel breeds and is Matched
As the eel industry is of prime import
ance IN Denmark the party was equipped
by the government and several societies
IN conjunction. DIR. Schmidt has been
making Special study of the eel for
more than fifteen years.
Since at least $50 Is. e. scientists have
been trying to find the cells birthplace,
and BY tracking down the route found
taken by the Young cells, DR. Schmidt
placed the breeding grounds between the
Bermudas and the Leeward Islands,
where the sea reaches a depth of more
than mile.
Here the most remarkable discovery
was made: that the European species
and the American, which vary SO slightly
as to be almost negligible, and abso-
lutely so to the layman. breed side by
side and eventually start for their later
homes. thousands of miles "vav, but
that neither variety ever goes to the
others fresh water grounds.
The marvel is, to scientists, according
to DIR. H. F. Moore. deputy commits
sioner of the Z. S. bureau of fisheries,
that of the millions of young making
the trips, instances of discovery of the
European species in American waters
and vice versa, have been exceedingly
rare And there is no interbreeding be-
tween the two.
This eel is the same as that caught
in far inland ponds and muddy streams,
and makes a wonderful journey to ar
rive there. They can live for long
periods out of water. as Is well known
among fishermen, and sometimes travel
overland. from stream to stream, or up
the faces of dams and along the sides
of rocks. in search of sufficient water.
1t j. said the male remains along the
coastal waters while the female makes
the inland trip. The three or four
inch elvers may easily be picked from
he faces of dams or other Instructions
as they climb. after a fashion of cling
ng under the water film. to the rocks.
They live for years in fresh waters.
the period being variously placed at
from five wears to as many as 20 and
Tate Regain In the fall. the mature
eels journey back to the sea, the males
then being from ~ TO Is inches IN
length. and the females never less than
Is At the original breeding places it is
believed they spawn and die, as they
are never seen AGAIN.
1t is during this fall trip the cells fall
prey to fishermen. who reap good
harvest as they are prime food fish
While not so highly priced in this
country, i'm Europe they are considerable
exceedingly high from the North Sea
to Italy, and the Danish and Holland
industries are of especial Importance
in those countries. The fish are caught
N traps similar to lobster pots or rat
traps, entering a narrow funnel mouth
after the bait, and being. unable to find
the outlets BtB-trvs s~fv-s a-tFrFFf
1t is estimated, hy the bureau Of fish
zries the eel catch in this country is
more than three aud q half million
pounds annually. valued Mt more than
81 quarter of million dollars Most
American commercial eel fishing is along
The Atlantic from New England TO the
| Chesapeake