THE REACTIONS OF FISHES TO GRADIENTS OF 

 DISSOLVED ATMOSPHERIC GASES 



VICTOR E. SHELFORD AND W. C. ALLEE 



From the Hull Zoological Laboratory, The University of Chicago 



SEVEN FIGURES 



I. Introduction 208 



II. Atmospheric gases 208 



1. Occurrence 208 



2. Experimental control of gases in solution 209 



III. Material 219 



1. Stock 219 



2. Behavior and physiology of fishes 220 



IV. The physiological effect of gases upon fishes 221 



1. The effect of a great excess of nitrogen or oxygen 221 



2. The effect of a deficiency of oxygen 223 



3. The effect of carbon dioxide 224 



V. Reaction of fish to gases in solution - 225 



1. Method of experimentation " 225 



2. Reaction to single gases 229 



a. Carbon dioxide 230 



b. Oxygen 236 



c. Nitrogen 238 



3. Reaction to combinations of factors 241 



a. Boiled water 241 



b. Boiled water with oxygen added 249 



c. Boiled water and carbon dioxide 250 



d. Acid and ammenia 252 



4. Comparison of reactions 254 



a. Degree of reaction to different factors 254 



b. Adult and juvenile fishes 258 



VI. General discussion 259 



VII. Summary 262 



Bibliography 263 



207 



