In many instances the mouth and the dentition will serve as clues to the food 

 habits of the fish concerned. An examination of the large mouth and teeth of 

 the pickerel would leave no doubt as to the carnivorous food habits of this 

 species as likewise an examination of the mouth of the whitefish would leave 

 little doubt that this form was primarily a plankton feeder. Feeding habits of 

 fish vary from those which seek their food alone and those which travel in 

 schools. Some species make characteristic daily migrations coming into shoal 

 areas in the evening when they are readily taken in shallow water. Temperature 

 plays an important part in feeding of fish with extreme lows and highs tending 

 to "throw the fish off their feed." 



The sense organs of fish are variously developed. The eyes of the fish are 

 very much like our own in their construction. However the eyes of the fish are 

 adapted for seeing only short distances. The question of whether fish can dis- 

 tinguish different color patterns has long been argued by scientists although at 

 present most are in agreement with the fishermen in believing that fish can, at 

 least with objects under water, distinguish colors. Smell in fishes is probably the 

 most acutely developed sense. It plays a large part in the capture of prey. 

 The nostrils of a fish are located on top of the snout and open into small blind 

 pouches lined with the organs of the sense of smell. Water is drawn in and out 

 of the pouch. Although the fish does not have an external ear they undoubtedly 

 hear the vibrations which are more readily transferred through the water. These 

 vibrations travel through the skull to reach the inner ear of the fish. In addi- 

 tion the lateral line organ of fish is reported as receiving vibrations of low in- 

 tensity. The lateral line easily observed along the sides of the fish may be traced 

 onto the head where it may divide into as many as five different branches. 



