190 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



in winter, and about two in summer, no sound of fish 

 moving is to be heard, and none are to be taken by any 

 bait, with the exception of eels, which are clearly nocturnal 

 in their habits. He says, also, that he has constantly taken 

 chub with a white moth all through the early part of the 

 summer's night, but that the fish have suddenly ceased 

 rising just two hours before dawn, and have remained 

 quiescent until the dawn had quite broken." 



We think that fish would be more often found asleep if 

 anglers' observations were directly applied for the purpose 

 of ascertaining this. We ourselves, on two occasions, have 

 caught fish asleep. Once, on the Kennet, we, with a friend, 

 noticed a large trout lying near the bank, a little out of the 

 stream of a shallow ; as we came up to him, although a 

 bright day, he never stirred. We got close to him, threw 

 a fly over him, of which he took no notice. We threw 

 the shadow of ourselves and rod over him ; no movement. 

 We then got exactly opposite to him, so close we could 

 count all his spots, and he appeared as if he was steadily 

 looking at us. His fins were acting gently all this time. 

 We again threw our shadows over him, waved our rods 

 and arms ; he never moved. We then, with the aid of the 

 rod, gently touched him, and it was not till after rather a 

 strong push did he wake up and dart with great velocity 

 across the stream. 



Precisely the same thing happened to us on the Test, 

 with a much larger fish lying near the bank. We put our 

 shadows over him, came up alongside, admired his shape, 

 size, and colour ; and it was not until we poked him with 

 our rod did he take any notice, and then he rushed across 

 the stream, making a great wave. 



The question has often been asked, " Do fish feel pain 

 on being hooked ? " The answer has generally been given 

 in accordance with the wishes of the respondent. A corre- 

 spondent of the Fishing Gazette, says : " Please calm the 

 conscience of the ' Amateur Angler.' Fish wriggle when 

 on the hook because they want to get away. They do 

 not and cannot suffer any pain because they've got no 

 sensory nerves. They have frequently told me so." 



