The Tucson citizen., 1902-04-02

StMrtAS TrOuts
There are three phases of sense In
fish particularly interesting to the an.
eler-their exquisite powers of hearing
OF seeing and their subtle, abnormal
sensitiyeness to atmospheric influence
With all our experience and study II Is
doubtful If we have arrived Mt any.
thing like n full estimate of the acute
sensltlveness with which fish are en-
dowed. devote this article to hear
Ing. BY hearing must obviously be
understood to mean their power OF ap.
preciating the vibration caused by
sound. the conductor being either solid,
aerial or liquid.
In inan sound detonates the eardrum.
and In that way when we are under
water we discover little intelligibie
mca ming from sounds But the same
vibrations are undoubtedly received by
the exquisItely sensitive hearing intel
ligence of fish. IL may use the
term. In different and far more iin.
pressiye way. By intelligence | mean
an instructive recognition by their
bodies of some disturbance, just m
man recognizes "A passing breath OF mir
II takes the form of feeling.
| came to the conclusion that /
would make few experiments Here
are one or two facts: A friend entered
into IL with me. and we bethought our
selves OF errtain well known trout In
our preserve which were always
there" Then we placed thatched hur.
dies day or two beforehand 80 that
the tish might get accustomed TO them
In such a way that we could approach
close 10 their haunts without being
ssen and watch the unsuspecalng trout
through small hole cut In tue straw.
When one was not at home, the other
generally was My friend undertook
the noise making. the observation.
From the sound of gunshot 500
yards away. which made our trout dis
sinctiy start. TO the breaking OF twiT
three yards from the tish. which did
the same. we tried all kinds Ut nonnds.
shrill and dull and ut varying dis.
and the stun OF cur experiments
convinced IA OF this. That osir scnsi.
lively organized friends felt siaes dis
placements IT molecules tareagh ether.
which We call sound, and the further
vibrating disturbance through what we
call water. which | verify believe con.
ducts ~seusation 10 the ssxh ~ readily
~ glass permits the penetration of
light to this paper. In proportion 10 The
distances and the character af tho
sound. but that they did hear. or feel
rather. and with tarrrIibIs quick nemA
too. was eonaiusIxely demonstrated
What they heard and we're saos alarm
rd ~ cannot tell. but when they we're
h aiarDrsi II WAS evident enough by the
same kind of start they give wheD itess
rliief enemy sntidealy peeps ever the
bank In on.y two eases could | dis
roycr actual fright. the frsGaaf thar
sends them dewa~~a gunshsss behind
tlse hurdle aud a hrayy stamp of the
foot near hy. II ts noteworthy that the
sllrill sounds seesned ta s,artie Ihein
most. For instance. poiicemans whls
ic AZ ten ssris sent one out into the
strram as II booking about for some
source Of danger. whereas shout at
he same distance caused no detected
movement. Their way Of shifting d
little farther from the hank when they
lave an iakling Of danger In very
witty side movement. well known ua
lcsbt. II seems for tlse purpose of
she bank at better angle
The common manner cf showing
heir alarm was by sudden culver.
nmefimes followed by sinking down
IN Inch or two. as much as to say.
What's up?" very much doubt IL {
'ver crept up to my peephole without
,elng detected. and yet was careful. /
or, IL YOU notice. a trout once on the /
Jul yive gives no sign OF alarm at a
rcond movement or noise. Once pre-
Jared he Ii immoynble TN he suddenly
lartx of. You may throw your great
oat at him. and he either braves II stoi-
Lily or bolts cleans away. Five minutes
'erfect stiffness and they settle back TO
ontidence. and then they were again
nsily startled. I fancy The laws OF re.
raction had something tD do with II
nd that even from the sky they seme-
lines perceived my movements. had
ften suspected this before.
Another conclusion: believe they
eard much they appeared not TO. 4
udden smack Of tile hands together.
nd there was a decided quiver. but
ird rattle. begun very softly and grad.
ally brought up TO its very loudest.
nd no notice seemed TO be taken. But
oubtless. like ourselves. however loud
he noise. the gradient robs Ii OF its
iartie. However fanciful Ii may
ound, of this | am thoroughly con-
inced--that water IL such an immedi-
te transmitter OF vibration to fish that
hey recognize sound from the air near
? as quickly as man. 1t Is no argu'
nent to say we do not when in 1t. We
ave no need Fish have. And be-
ause they have they are providentially
ndowed with supersensitivenesst to that
nervous influence among
Field.