PISCATORIAL REMINISCENCES

AND GLEANINGS.

I HAVE inserted a few preliminary observations upon the structure, body, and senses of Fishes, culled from Cuvier, and Dr. Roget's admirable work, "Animal and Vegetable Physiology," &c. EDITOR.

&c.

THE body of a fish is nearly of the same specific gravity as the water it inhabits. The effect of gravity is therefore almost wholly counterbalanced by the buoyant force of that fluid; for the weight of a mass of water equal in bulk to the body itself, is the exact measure of this buoyant force. If this weight were precisely the same as that of the fish, the animal would be able to remain suspended in any part of the fluid without the necessity of employing any voluntary motion or exertion for that purpose; but as the body of a fish is generally a little heavier than the fluid medium,

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especially if it be fresh water, it is necessary for the animal to give its body some degree of motion, in order to prevent its sinking. Dr. Roget.

FORM OF FISHES.

We cannot fail to perceive, on the most cursory glance, the beautiful adaptation of the form and structure of all these animals to the properties of the element in which they are destined to reside. In order that the fish might glide through the fluid without the least resistance, all its vital organs have been collected into a small compass, and the body has been reduced into a compact oval, compressed laterally, and tapering to a thin edge both before and behind, for the purpose of readily clearing the water as the fish darts forward, and also obviating the retardation that might arise from the reflux of the water collected behind. Dr. Roget.

The entire structure of fish is evidently adapted to swimming, as that of birds to flight; suspended in a fluid nearly as heavy as themselves, the former have no need of wings to sustain them in it. A great number of species have (immediately under the spine) an air-vessel, which, by compression or dilatation, changes the specific gravity of the fish, and assists it in arising or descending in the water. Progression is executed by the motion of the tail, right and left. Cuvier.

Progressive motion of fishes is effected by the simplest means; the principal instrument employed for this purpose is the tail; for the fins are merely auxiliary organs, serving chiefly to balance the body, whilst it receives its propulsion from the tail. A fish moves in the water on the same principle as a boat is impelled by sculling. Dr. Roget.

ORGANS OF FISH.-HEARING.

Artedi, and many celebrated authors, maintain that fish hear, and that all cetaceous fishes have the auditory passages apparent.

Swammerdam also asserts that fish hear, and adds, that they have a wonderful labyrinth of the ear for that purpose.

John Hunter supposes that fish are possessed of the perfect organs of hearing; and that the organ creating that power consists of a hard substance resembling gristle, and in some species crusted over with a thin plate of bone that admits of no collapse, and which he denominates an ear.

When I was at Moorshedabad, the collector had a large tank full of fish, that were petted by his daughter, who erected a bell, which, when rung, brought all the fish from the different parts of the pool, to be fed. So tame were they, that

they took bread out of the hands of their young mistress. As no animals have stronger instincts than fish, I see no reason why they should not be capable of recognizing, and perhaps attaching themselves to them that feed them.

Medwin's Angler in Wales.

FINE SENSE OF SMELL IN FISH.

M. La Cepede observes, that their smell is the most exquisite. The distance which a fish will traverse in pursuit of prey, attracted by odorous emanations, is immense. The seat of smell is the true eye of fish, which directs them in thickest darkness, in the most troubled and agitated waters. There is every reason to believe that certain odours attract or repel fish; this seems unquestionable. The seat of this sense is in their nostrils.

Cuvier.

SPEAKING, OR VOICE, OF FISH.

How do we know that fish have not as many, and perhaps more vocal expressions, than birds; they all of them seem to have been formed nearly upon the same model. Some fly, others swim. It is written in Genesis, that God created at the same time birds and fishes, from the bosom of the waters. Fishes are provided with the five senses. Why should they not have the faculty of speaking like the rest? Water is thoroughly penetrated with the air which we breathe: why might they

not, from that air, and a tongue and throat, form vibrations and sounds, too nice for our ears, but might be heard in every species. There are many sounds in the air which we do not hear; how much more in the water noises insensible to us; and fishes by that means speak, without being audible to us. Gent. Mag. ix. 228.

Mr. Thompson of Hull says, it has been often remarked that fish have no voices. Some tench, which I caught in ponds, made a croaking, like a frog, for a full half hour, whilst in the basket at my shoulder. When the herring is caught, it utters a shrill cry like a mouse. Also, the gurnard will continue to grunt, like a hog, some time after it is taken, and, some say, make a noise like a cuckoo, from which he takes one of his country Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iii.

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Mr. Yarrell observes :-The maigre, a large sea fish, when swimming in shoals, utters a grunting or purring noise, that may be heard from a depth of twenty fathoms; and, taking advantage of this circumstance, three fishermen once took twenty maigres by a single sweep of their net.

The coasts of Great Britain do yield such a continued sea harvest of gain and benefit to all those that with diligence do labour in the same, that no time or season of the year passeth away