The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-02
FISHES DO REALLY THINK.
Manager of Aquarium at the Battery
In New York Says So.

Manager of Aquarium at the Battery
In New York Says So.
From the New York Commercial Adj
vertiser.
L. B. Spencer, in charge of the
aquarium at the Battery. believes
that the lower orders of animal life
have intelligence and reasoning DOW
er limited only in degrees. AS stu
dent of submarine life for over thirty
years he has had many opportunities
for experiment. These experiments he
has carried ON during the last ten
years with unusual interest because
he has been obliged to yield to the
conviction that fishes have a reason
ing power and even memory in spite
OF deep rooted belief to the contrary.
The reasoning power of birds for years
has been a question of debate, and
only OF late has this fact been grant
ed by scientists. That fishes and even
the sea anemones show reasoning pow
er is claim that will be contested
vigorously. Mr.. Spencer says:
Il must confess that in spite of
belief which | have held for over thir-
ty years, my experience with sea life
the statement that intelligence in fish
es is only limited to degree. That is,
they show marked reasoning power
in pursuance of that problem of life,
the survival of the fittest, in 5etray-
ing a familiarity with their place of
confinement after being absent, and
in recognizing the conditions coincident
with feeding time. They respond when
necessary with a degree of intelligence
~
times their uncommon needs.
There is a sea anemone in one
biological room which affords a good
example of intelligence in adaptability.
The sea anemone is a lower form of
sea life which fastens itself to some
hard substance. 1t is a brownish jel-
lylike mass and when closed has not
a prepossessing appearance. 1t ha a
multitude of small tentacles, which
when open it fiourishes about, giving
it an appearance that earned for it
it's name.
THE anemone in question is fed by
means of a small stick eighteen or
twenty inches long. When first brought
here the anemone was in what might
be called wild condition. Whenever
the stick was thrust down against the
tentacles the contact of the unfamiliar
object would cause 1t to draw in it's
tentacles and close up tight. After a
time ii seemed to realize what the stick
was for, and now whenever 1t is low
cred and touched against the closed
tentacles they Immediately expand, as
though the anemone realized that the
stick is a means of giving 1t nourish-
ment.
I'm one of the tanks are three prin-
cess rockfish. one of which arrived at
the aquarium early last winter. The
last arrival is different from it's COM
panions, being more gayly colored. This
particular fish always eyinced a sort
of fondness for one of the other rock
fish. and IL also showed individuality
in the course 1t took in swimming
about the tank, never varying its
course from one day to another unless
frightened. 1t was sent to the Boston
sportsmens show last February and
did not return until March. When it
was placed in the tank again 1t imme-
dtately took its accustomed place be-
side its former companion, only leav-
ing occasionally to go over the same
path that 1t stuck to so continually
before it's trip to Boston.
The reasoning power betrayed by
the little baittish, which are thrown
In to feed the trout. rs remarkable. For
them 1t is case of life and death, and
the way in which they will evade the
latter is remarkable proof of some
thing more than instinct. If the small
fish is not caught at the first rush IL
will skip along the top of the water to
the edge of the tank and there it will
stick with its body close against the
side. The trout will gather itself for
a rush and go half way towards it's
prey when it will stop. The big fish
seems to know that the rush will only
result in bruised nose, as ne has
proved by experience, so he lies still
and waits. 1t is almost pathetic TO
notice the different. ways and risks the
small fish will take to escape the trout.
l have often gone to a tank half an
hour after the fish were thrown in and
seen sometimes half dozen of the lit
tie fish lying across the wire top of the
outlet almost entirely out of water.
They had jumped out of water on to
this pedestal of hope and remained
there until they thought Qf they do
think the big fish had forgotten their
presence in the tank
There is another case in which an
eel and Gunner figured which shows a
greater degree of intelligence still.
The eel and Gunner were confined in
one tank. On the bottom of the tank
were two fat stones leaning against
each other in the form of tent. The
eel rolled laZily in the aperture. The
Gunner from some reason or other con-
cieved the idea, that it would like to
he under there, too, so he started I'M
der. There was only room for one, and
when the Gunner had got in little
distance he wedged up against the eel.
He resolved to try force, and, back
ing out, he gathered himself and
dived in head first. Still the eel re-
fused to move, and after trying it two
or three times in vain the artful cum
ner gave it up an swan off in a cor
ner of the tank to think. He evidently
thought something. for the Gunner
shortly returned and approaching the
cells tail nipped it good and hard
You would have thought the next in
slant that there were at least dozen
cells in that tank. At any rate the eel
got out quick and the Gunner swami
lazily underneath the rocks and lolled
up against the side in evident salts
faction"