Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-05-21
THE VISION AND HEARING OF FISH.


THE VISION AND HEARING OF FISH.
But little has been written on the devel
opment of vision and hearing in fish, and
that little has been theory rather than de-
ductOn from actual experiment. My own
experiments as to the effects that sound
produces on trout (and I assume that all
fishes are alike in this respecD have been
confined to this: Frequently when able to
observe trout while myself unseen have
screamed and shouted at the top of my
voice. These demonstrations have invarl-
ably been without the slightest effect, but
when varied by a conclusion which would
communicate itself to the water this has no
longer been the case, and evidence Of alarm,
or at least that the conclusion was felt, has
been apparent. In an English work the
name which in vain endeavor to recall,
an account of some very interesting and
more decisive experiments are given. The
writer caused a building to be erected over
the water, and made his observations
through small apertures constructed for the
purpose so that he was quite concealed. His
trout were we'll accustomed to the wiles of
the angler and timid. Sending man out
of sight behind the building the firing ola
gun by him produced not the slightest effect
on the trout, who rose freely during the
experiment to flies blown toward them
through tube. am, therefore, convinced
that no sound is injurious which does not
communicate its vibration to the water.
But conclusion upon the side or bottom Of
boat, or jumping from rock to rock, or blows
upon hard bottom with the wading staff
or with hob nailed shoes, think are so in
vaded through and by the water as to be
in some measure perceptible to the fish
and alarm them. That fish possess the
sense of hearing their anatomical structure
goes far to prove, while that they are not
insensible to sounds produced in the air
must be admitted unless the doubter is pre-
pared to call in question the numerous ac-
counts by alleged eye witnesses of their COM
ing to be fed at the sound of a bell, etc. This
| for one, hesitate to do, notwithstanding
/ have never been able to make sound in
the air which seemed to produce the slight
est effect on trout in water, to which fish OF
my experiments have been confined. 1t
may however, we'll be that the sound was
perceived, while the fish were so habitua-
ted to the roar of the waterfall and similar
noises, without any i'll consequences ensu-
ing that sound alone was not regarded by
them as an indication of danger.-H. p.
Wells.
The VOICE FUNCTION.-This is the prop
er place to mention brain disorder more
or less commonly known under the name
of aphasia. Aphasia is a disturbance Of the
power of speech. 1t appears in two distinct
forms-viZ., amnesic and ataXic aphesia.
The person suffering from amnesic aphasia
forgets substantives and names, other parts
ofspeech being properly used ; or he fOrgetsa
language which he once knew, or he misap-
plies terms, "using pamphlet for camphor,
horse for man." etc. In ataXic aphasla the
power of articulation is completely lost
The person understands fully the word to
be used, and makes vigorous efforts to use
it, but is unable to do so. Sometimes artic-
ulation is half destroyed, so that the first
part of the word can be spoken, but not the
other. Sometimes automatic phrases can
be uttered, such as yes and no, while it is
perfectly clear that these expressions do not
satisfy the person. Another form of this
general trouble is agraphia, or the inability
to express ideas in writing; this is frequent
ly complete, and all attempts at writing end
in scrawl. 1t is noticeable that aphasia is
sometimes, though seldom, unaccompanled
by insanity. AS early as 1861 Broca, in
Paris, expressed the opinion that aphasia
was connected with disease in the third
frontal convolution. While large number
of cases have been cited for and against this
conclusion, many pathologists are disposed
to regard it as substantially correct. 1t
would seem just, then, to connect these cen
trail functions which are concerned in speech
with the peculiarly developed region of the
human brain that lies on the anterior and
lower limit of the Sylvan fissure: Wundt
adds that perhaps the Island of Reil should
be joined to this territory.-Popular Science
WOMAN'S STRENGTH.-The strength OF
women lies in their hearts. 1t shows itself
in their strong love and instructive percep-
tion of right and wrong. Intellectual cour-
age is rarely one of their virtues. AS rule
they are inclined to be restless and excita-
BILE, allowing their judgment to be sWayed
by quick emotions of all kinds; but above
all, it is in their hopefulness and endurance
that they find their chief powers.
Who is the last person to give up hope in
the case of a member of the family who has
apparently gone altogether to the bad?
What mother or sister with deep and ar
dent love for such will ever cease to cherish
hope or endure suffering on their account!
The patience of women is prOverbial, and
their whole lives are bound up in their af-
tections.
Few people will deny that love, in one
form or another, makes up the beauty OF
life of a woman. It enters into all she does.
Any work outside of her immediate circle
is undertaken, most often, from pure
thing of the mysterious happiness of love.
Unlike men, women chiefly look for person
al intercourse with those for whom they are
working. If their interest lies among the
poor, they are desirous of sympathetic per-
sonal acquaintance with them, and very little
work of lasting kind has been done by
women without their own influence of love
being brought to bear on the individual
case.
A GOOD WORD FOR THE TURKs.-The
Turkish people have been accused Of brig
andage, assassination and every description
of crime. l, who have lived among them
for fifteen years, am proud to proclaim my
self their champion. AS soldiers and sailors
they are unrivaled when we'll commanded.
AS peasants they are industrious, long-suf-
fering and good. In their religion they are
sincere. and never fanatical, unless reused
to be so by i'll usage and sneers at their faith.
Let the sportsman, the traveller or the anti
quarian, in pursuit of pleasure or business,
find himself among the real Turks in Ana
tolia or elsewhere, and he will be safe as to
his person and property, and receive every
kindness and hospitality; whereas, when he
goes among the Christians settled in Turkey
he will frequently be robbed, and always
under the levy of blackmail. Accusations
have been made against the Turks of cruel
ty and illusage, which have been exagger-
atpd sometimes TO a ludicrOuS deoree-Such