Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-29
SOME FISH FACTS.
Members of Finny Tribe Can See
Hear and Smell.

Every true angler is interested in
all that pertains to his faVOrite recre-
alton. OF course, he spends much time
studying tackle. squanders much mon
ey in the purchase of books upon ang-
ling: but not alone is he interested
in tools. he is also interested in the
fish themselves, their anatomy and
life histories. Furthermore, | think I
am safe in asserting that the angler
who is possessed of the most knowl-
edge. all else being equal, is the most
successful fisherman. Such subject
as THE Senses of Fish''-cannOt fail
to be of interest to every fisherman.
What angler has not asked himself
such questions as these: Can fish
hear?" can fish see objects above
the surface Of the water?" Candidly.
| believe that they have those senses
more highly developed than most
anglers and students are willing to
admit. at any rate. when following
trout stream, / act as though the sly
rascal could both see and hear abnor-
mally well. as [ believe they can.
also believe that the finny tribe have
the senses of taste and smell quite well
developed. So YOU see endow fish
with at least four senses. AS to
feeling | will leave the reader to decide
for himself.
Naturally the subject is one of eX-
trcme difficulty owing to the medium
in which fish live. but the modern fish
culturiSt comes to our aid with the
result of his experience and expert
mnntS.
A certain ichthyologist, in a recent
paper, makes a point which all fish
students would do we'll to bear in
mind: viz, the habits of fish born
and bred in a hatchery vary greatly
from those in a native or wild state
Take trout in its native water. Al
most from the instant of its birth it
is surrounded by enemies. and is
compelled to fight for its food. Con-
sequentially such a fish will be pos
sessed of more muscle. more acute
senses than the lazy, logy denizen OF
a hatchery pond. which has its every
want satisfied and is not compelled
to forage for its food Therefore, what
is true concerning a black bass in
confinement is not necessarily true of
the same fish in it's wild state. BE
sure of this. the wild fish will be more
willy, more muscular, brighter colored
and n better fighter. Again, the habits
Of the same specie will differ in dli-
ferent water. The small-mouth bass
when found in lake. is a different
individual from the same fish when
found in a rapid, rocky river.
Speckled trout in a much fished open
meadow is far more sly and sensitive
than one taken from the depths of
deep. quiet, forest environed lake
That fish learn from experience
steadfastly believe, but this is neither
the time nor the place to tell you WI!
| have come to that conclusion; per-
haps sometime 1 will spin you one OF
two yarns-chapters from my own eN-
perience-along that line
That fish can hear few trout tsnei
men doubt. though the scalpel and dis.
secting knife of the biologist wouiu
seem to Indicate that the sense is ho'
very well developed. However. WIN
the fish, feeling and hearing are 81
closely related that we are apt to cor
fuse the one with the other. Anal
omically, the fish's organ of hearins
is very simple, being without extei
nal parts. tympanic cavity OF. lynn
panum: though there is small tupe
COMMENCEMENT with the guy
err air through which it is SUPPOSE
indulations travel. In some Hsh,'
there is a tube connecting the air piau
der with the organs of hearing, thousa
the use of this organ. so far as kin,
has never been made clear. Blolos's
teach that fish hear as the higher an
mails do by indulations in the AR. au.'
of course. by concussion. Now o.
not sure that fish sense SOUND mn,.n
it be Of sufficient volume to dis.u .
the ground and thus the water'-ou
ers' Book. .-.
It has been estimated that
olanbopt xpora &c ctrono in proportiVn