The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-29

ties IN conjunction. DE-. Schmidt
has been making a special study OF
the eel for more than fifteen years:
Since at least $50 B. c. scientists
have been trying to find the eefs
birthplace, and by tracking down
the route found taken by the
Young eeIs, DR.. Schmidt placed
the breeding grounds between the
Bermudas and the Leeward Islands,
where the sea reaches a depth OF
more than a mile.
Here the most. remarkable dis
covery was made: that the Euro
.pean species and the American,
which vary 50 slightly as to be al
most negligible, and absolutely SO
to the laynan, breed side by side
and eventually start for their later
homes, thousands Of miles away,
but that neither variety ever goes
to the Others fresh, water grounds.
The: marvel. is, to scientists, ae75
cording. to, Dr.. H. F. Moore, depu-
ty commissioner Of the United
States bureau of fisheries, that OF.
the millions Of young making the
trips, instances Of discovery Of the
European species in American wa
ters, and vice versa, have been
exceedingly rare. And there is no
interbreeding between the two.
The European SIP eeies Dr..
Schmidt found, deposit their eggs
and breed in section to the south
and east Of the Bermudas, while
the other breeds to the south and
west Of the islands. The first make
a. three years migration to the
shores OF Europe from the North
Sea to italy, while the second jour
ney to the American coast from
New England to the south coast,
taking only few months or year
It was found that the eggs are
iiatehed at depths OF about 2gG
metres, the young larvae gradually
rising as they grow until some were
found on the surface. 1t is also
true that the larvae vary their
depth In the water according to
the time Of day. At this stage,
and until they reach coast waters.
they are known as "leptoce ephafide"
and are ribbon or leaf-shaped and
quite transparent; SO transparent,
in fact that under a lens the YER
tebrae may be counted, the only
means of determining the species.
The European variety, it was
found, have more yertebrae than
the American.
The translucent quality is be-
lieved to be means of avoiding
peril, as the leptecephaIus is found
in schools along the coast line in
spring and must und oubtedly form
a food for large fish. AS they
approach shoa1 brackish water
there comes marvellous metamor-
phosis, they change from the rib
bon shape to the cylindrical fa-
n1iliar form, but are still transpar-
ent. They become much thicker
and are even shorter than before.
They gradually assume light lines
Of pigment, though remaining
translucent for some time and as
the pigment increases the dark
color becomes more and more ap-
parent until they are of the famil-
lar color.
In this connection is pointed out
the immense trip the leptocephai-
ide make, those journeying to Eu-,
ropean waters being three years on
the way, so that, according to BE.
Schmidt, there are always two MI
grations on the way, and in early
spring, three, before the first reaeh
shore. As It is, not until brackish
water is reached that the meta
morphosis occurs, the question that
still puzzles scientists is whether
the American species natures more
rapidly than the other, or whether
the change of water is necessary
for the change from leptocephal,ls
to elver. as the young eefis known.
This eel is the same as that
caught IN far inland ponds and
muddy streams, and makes a Won
derful journey to arrive there. They
can live for long periods out OF wa
ter, as is well known among fisher
men. and sometimes travel over
land, from stream to stream. or tip
the faces of dams and along the
sides Of rocks, in search Of sufii-
cient water. 1t is said the male
remains along. the coastal waters
while the female makes the inland
trip. The three or four inch elvers
NAV easily be picked from the
faces OF dams or other obstructions
as they climb. after a fashion OF
clineing under the water film, to
the rocks.
They live for years in fresh wa
ters. the period being variously
placed at from FIVE years to as
many as twenty and thirty as
estimated by the Englishman, O..
Tate Resan. In the fall. the ma
ture cells journey back to. the
sea. the males then being from
twelve to eighteen inches IN length,
and the females never less than
eighteen. At the original breed
ing places it is believed they spawn
and die, as they are never seen
again.
1t is during this fall trip the eels
fall prey to fishermen. who reap
a good harvest as they are
prime food fish. While not so
highly priced in this country, IN
Europe they are considered ex-
eeeding,v high from the North