<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 10/31/95
000 C000000 867240
000 D000000 Y
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 EATON VANCE INVESTMENT FUND, INC
001 B000000 811-06157
001 C000000 6174828260
002 A000000 24 FEDERAL STREET
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02110
003 000000 N
004 000000 Y
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 2
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 EV MARATHON STRATEGIC INCOME FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 EV CLASSIC STRATEGIC INCOME FUND
007 C030200 N
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 216
019 C00AA00 EATONVANCE
062 A00AA00 N
062 B00AA00 0.0
062 C00AA00 0.0
062 D00AA00 0.0
062 E00AA00 0.0
062 F00AA00 0.0
062 G00AA00 0.0
062 H00AA00 0.0
062 I00AA00 0.0
062 J00AA00 0.0
062 K00AA00 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 2
062 L00AA00 0.0
062 M00AA00 0.0
062 N00AA00 0.0
062 O00AA00 0.0
062 P00AA00 0.0
062 Q00AA00 0.0
062 R00AA00 0.0
063 A00AA00 0
063 B00AA00 0.0
071 A00AA00 0
071 B00AA00 0
071 C00AA00 0
071 D00AA00 0
072 A00AA00 0
072 B00AA00 0
072 C00AA00 0
072 D00AA00 0
072 E00AA00 0
072 F00AA00 0
072 G00AA00 0
072 H00AA00 0
072 I00AA00 0
072 J00AA00 0
072 K00AA00 0
072 L00AA00 0
072 M00AA00 0
072 N00AA00 0
072 O00AA00 0
072 P00AA00 0
072 Q00AA00 0
072 R00AA00 0
072 S00AA00 0
072 T00AA00 0
072 U00AA00 0
072 V00AA00 0
072 W00AA00 0
072 X00AA00 0
072 Y00AA00 0
072 Z00AA00 0
072AA00AA00 0
072BB00AA00 0
072CC01AA00 0
072CC02AA00 0
072DD01AA00 0
072DD02AA00 0
072EE00AA00 0
073 A01AA00 0.0000
073 A02AA00 0.0000
073 B00AA00 0.0000
073 C00AA00 0.0000
074 A00AA00 0
<PAGE> PAGE 3
074 B00AA00 0
074 C00AA00 0
074 D00AA00 0
074 E00AA00 0
074 F00AA00 0
074 G00AA00 0
074 H00AA00 0
074 I00AA00 0
074 J00AA00 0
074 K00AA00 0
074 L00AA00 0
074 M00AA00 0
074 N00AA00 0
074 O00AA00 0
074 P00AA00 0
074 Q00AA00 0
074 R01AA00 0
074 R02AA00 0
074 R03AA00 0
074 R04AA00 0
074 S00AA00 0
074 T00AA00 0
074 U01AA00 0
074 U02AA00 0
074 V01AA00 0.00
074 V02AA00 0.00
074 W00AA00 0.0000
074 X00AA00 0
074 Y00AA00 0
075 A00AA00 0
075 B00AA00 0
076 00AA00 0.00
077 A000000 N
080 A00AA00 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B00AA00 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C00AA00 40000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 229
082 A00AA00 Y
082 B00AA00 100
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
SIGNATURE JAMES F. ALBAN
TITLE ASST. TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000867240
<NAME> EATON VANCE INVESTMENT FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 2
<NAME> EV CLASSIC STRATEGIC INCOME FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 0
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 0
<RECEIVABLES> 0
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 0
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 0
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 0
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 0
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 0
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0
<NET-ASSETS> 0
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 0
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 0
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 0
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 0
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 0
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 0
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 0
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 0
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000867240
<NAME> EATON VANCE INVESTMENT FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> EV MARATHON STRATEGIC INCOME FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 0
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 0
<RECEIVABLES> 0
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 0
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 0
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 0
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 0
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 0
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0
<NET-ASSETS> 0
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 0
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 0
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 0
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 0
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 0
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 0
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 0
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 0
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>