The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-22

by sight and evidently make good use
of their eyes. though their vision rs
limited, for while they are conscious of
the approach of a person about five
yards off, they appear not to see dis
tinctly at a distance of more than three
or four feet. Within that space, how
ever, they are sharp-sighted enough, as
is shown by the way in which they
take or refuse different kinds of bait,
especially artificial.
They seem also to have a sense of
color, and are said to recognize attend
ants by their clothing, though as to
this sense no very satisfactory con-
illusions have yet been obtained. They
do not, however, see equally well In all
directions, and several of the thirty
four species on which experiments have
been made were, apparently. unable
to perceive food lying on the bottom
of the tank. Most of those which de-
pend on their eyes appear to make lit
tie use of any other sense, though a
few would sample their food by smell,
taste or touch before taking it. About
dozen species-nght feeders, like the
skate, conger and sole-apparently are
led to their food by scent. Thus the
juice of a squid poured into the water,
of which the sight-hunters would have
taken no notice. would draw others
out OF their retreats. even in the day
time, and keep them for some while on
the hunt with their tactile organs.
Some of these fishes could see. but
others that were blind behaved in the
same way when food was present,
while specimens whose olfactory
nerves had been destroyed only took
1t when placed very near to them. Oc-
casionally, however, they learn to use
their eyes, as is proved by Mr.. Bate
sons experiences with a rocking. He
began them with the idea that the fish
could not see worms or other food
when thrown into the water. But one
which had been Kept for some months
in shallow tank and constantly fed
by persons leaning over the top now
comes up to the surface, IL hungry,
and splashes there as soon as any one
approaches. ana will actually lift it's
head out of the water to snap, SEEM
ingly in recognition, at finger held
above the surface. That some fish can
be taught to take food from the hand
Is well known, but, curiously enough,
even this educated specimen seems not
to have got so far as to recognize q
worm swimming iE the water, but only
the larger presence of the person who
fed 1t.
AS the rocking is a nocturnal feeder.
II must be supposed, while in a state
of nature, not to have seen its food,
but the acquisition of this new faculty
suggests that, as these fishes are now
fed by daylight they may gradually
acquire the power of capturing their
prey by sight. Other fish do this by
touch, being well provided with sensi-
tive organs for this purpose. That is
the case with all blind fishes, as well
as those living In caves or In the
depths Of the ocean. where, unless self
luminous. they dwell in profound dark
ness. For these the sense of smell
might be equally useful, but expert
ment has demonstrated that the prey
is discerned and captured by the tao
tile organs alone. Nevertheless, some
species possess sensations of taste, and
might well be envied by gourmets, for
they have sense organs resembling the
taste buds" OF other vertebrates, To-
Gated not only in the mouth, but also
distributed all over the body