circumstance already related of so many large eels being seen dead or
dying during a hot summer, near the Nore, would appear to confirm his
assertion. If eels are oviparous, as Sir Humphry Davy thinks they are,
would not the ova have been found, especially in the conger,--many of
which are taken and brought to our markets, frequently of a very large
size? It does not appear, however, that any of the fringes along the
air-bladder have ever arrived at such a size and appearance as to have
justified any one in the supposition that they were ovaria, though, as
has been stated, distinguished naturalists, from the time of Aristotle
to the present moment, have been endeavouring to ascertain this fact.
Since the above was written, I have been shown ova in the lamprey, and
what appeared to have been melt taken from a conger eel, at a
fishmonger's in Bond-street. These specimens were preserved by Mr.
Yarrell, of Little Ryder-street, St. James's, who had the kindness to
open two eels, sent to him from Scotland, in my presence, and in which
the fringes were very perceptible, though they were without any ova.
That ingenious and indefatigable naturalist is, however, of opinion that
eels are oviparous, though he failed in producing proof that the common
eels were so.

"In further proof, however, of eels being viviparous, it may be added
(if the argument of analogy applies in this case), that the animalculæ
of paste eels are decidedly viviparous. Mr. Bingley also, in his animal
biography, says that eels are viviparous. Blumenbach says, too, that
'according to the most correct observations they are certainly
viviparous.' He adds also, that, the eel is so tenacious of life, that
its heart, when removed from the body, retains its irritability for
forty hours afterwards."

We are not inclined to attach very considerable importance to Mr.