8 OBSERVATIONS 



wholly prevented, and the report produced not 

 the slightest apparent effect upon him. 



The second barrel was then fired ; still he 

 remained immovable ; evincing not the slightest 

 symptom of having heard the report. This ex- 

 periment was often repeated, and precisely si- 

 milar results were invariably obtained ; neither 

 could I, or other persons, ever awaken symptoms 

 of alarm in fishes near the hut by shouting to 

 them in the loudest tones, although our distance 

 from them sometimes did not exceed six feet. 

 The experiments were not repeated so often that 

 they could become habituated to the sound, if 

 heard. 



It is possible that fishes may be in some manner 

 affected by vibrations communicated to their ele- 

 ment, either directly, or by the intervention of 

 aerial pulsations ; although it does not seem to 

 be clearly proved that they possess any organ ap- 

 propriated exclusively to the purpose of hearing. 

 At all events, it appears that neither the above- 

 mentioned explosions, nor the loud voices, had 

 power to produce vibrations or undulations in 

 the water, which could so affect them. 



Leaving the discussion of this intricate subject 

 to more able and learned speculators, we will 

 deem it sufficient for us to know that the above- 

 mentioned Trout had no ears to hear either the 

 voices or the gun ; and I firmly believe, that the 



