58 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



dressing it. On the following day Dr. Warwick again 

 visited the pond, when presently the same fish came to 

 the side, and, in the words of the Doctor, " literally laid 

 its head at his feet." 



The sticklebacks are nest-builders, and some curious 

 anecdotes are told of their ingenuity in this respect when 

 under confinement. The basse, or sea-perch, is said when 

 hooked to double back under the boat and endeavour to 

 cut the line against the keel, or it will seek to gain a fixed 

 point in order that it may be able to drag the hook from 

 its mouth. The tame cod-fish pond at Port Logan, 

 Wigtonshire, is well-known. Mr. Buckland records some 

 amusing experiences in feeding these fish, which took the 

 mussels from his hands. Such anecdotes of the intelli- 

 gence and educational capacity of fish might be very 

 greatly increased. But even in describing what has been 

 seen, we must remember how much has not been seen, 

 partly because of the medium in which fish exist, and 

 partly because of the prejudice against their claims to the 

 possession of any intelligence at all. In consequence of 

 the observations which large public acquaria have latterly 

 made possible, opinion on this matter is being considerably 

 modified. 



If we are to accept the latest theories of the evolu- 

 tionists, which in this respect harmonise with the record 

 of Moses, who doubtless learned a good deal on the 

 subject from those sagacious scientists, the ancient 

 Egyptians, animal life originated in the ocean ; it is in 

 the water, therefore, that we must look for, at least, the 

 raw material of mind. It is true that the physiological 



