New-York tribune., 1901-06-09
HAVE FISHES A MEMORY?
DR. EDINGER, A GERMAN INVESTIGATOR,
THINKS NOT.
AT LEAST 1T is VERY MUCH INFERIOR TO THE
HUMAN FACULTY

closely akin to mans. They offer hints ana suS-
gestions too of moral qualities. But as one
goes down the scale of animal life. traces of ;
what are usually regarded as human character
istics grow fainter and fainter. Thus, 1.-The !
Popular Science Monthly" printed an article a
few months ago describing a series of expert /
rleuts designed TO ascertain whether cats reason.
ard the writer reached a negative conclusion. In
like manner elaborate investigation, seeking
20 detect evidence of memory in fishes. is out
lined in the latest Smithsonian report to make
its appearance.
This latter Inquiry conducted in a novel
manner. DIR. L. Edinger German naturalist.
secured the publication in the newspapers of a
request for Information of a certain kind An
glers fish breeders and others were familiar
with the facts were asked to write TO the doctor
on the subject. The underlying motive of the re-
search was scientific. but the results possess
good 6oal of popular interest. 1t has been as
serted that the seat of memory in man and the
higher animals is the gray matter OF the brain.
But the. most careful examination of the fish
fails to show any gray matter. cortex, at all
Hence. il there conclusive proof that fishes
exercise memory. il might be necessary TO revise
the theory about the relations between the cere-
hraI cortex and that function
To his request Dr. Edinger received two hun
drei replies. all Of them Of a satisfactory char
aCter. BESIDES, he had al MS ulSppSdl bhe ie-
suits obtained by other investigators. prominent
among whom was Bateson. who studied the
habits Of fishes in the aquarium at Plymouth
England In discussing the available material
the German naturalist first considers the eVi-
Gence that fish have senses.
Taste and smell are practically Identical In
that thev are excited by chemical irritation and
under the same circumstances. But while these
senses enable a fish to find its food they do not
appear 10 be acute. Certainly some fish are far
from discriminating. \ conger eel which was
the subject Of one OF Dr. Eding"r's experiments.
ate ran meat that Was smeared with iodoioTm
camphor and extract Of anchovies without hesi-
tation Stiu it refused meat that had been
cooked or treated with acid.
In regard to power OF Vision, there seems 10
le more or less difference between species. II
IS conc, I'D that nearly all fishes can see Yet
there afe some kinds which VIII not touch a
worm that is dansle.l before their eyes until
they smell it. Others again. are keen enough
To discriminate between poor imitation OF a
fy and a good one Most fishermen believe, too.
that IL is necessary To conceal the point Of the
hook in living bait lest fish perceive H. But
the sense of sight in this order Of creation is
not comparable with that of birds. 4 hawk
detect its prey from an elevation Of hundred
feet though its victim be but a mouse. This IS
Tot surprising. however. since a bird has a more
highly organized BRAIN and its nerves OF vision
lead To the gray matter enveloping that organ.
AS TO the possibility of fishes hearing Dr. Ed
lnger eyinces much scepticism. Bateson could
never satisfy himself that they detect sounds
The German naturalist has received a number
O. stories about fish in aquariums and ponds be-
ing summoned by bells at feeding time. but he
finds on examination that the influence of sight
was not altogether precluded. There are two
organs that lie near each other In the auditory
apparatus Cf the higher animals. the cochea
and the labyrinth. The former 's lacking and
the latter is present in fishes. And yet certain
restlessness when hands clapped or
vover was fired was manifested by goldfish
even after the labyrinth was removed.
There is nevertheless, a way by which fishes
become aware OF heavy jars. and perhaps gentle
shocks well. They have in the head and in
@ row along their sides lot OF little organs
which seem to be sensitive TO variations in
sure. This apparatus will enable fish TO evade
obstacles Gncluding the glass covering Of
aquarium) even after their sight ''"s been de-
stroyed. Stahr tells of a male fish found in
Chinese waters which. when court.-:g dashes
impetuously toward his mate, but stops just
short of her Yet she gives evidence that she is
aware of his presence. Stair believes that her
Lateral line" apparatus reports the distU
Of the water by him
The testimony which might be thought TO bear