THE FAERY YEAR 



and curious thing to see, showing that fish, like 

 many other animals, have in them the spirit of 

 frolic. 



Reasoning Process in Fish 



Often we talk of the intelligence of trout and 

 other fish, but we have hardly any sure knowledge. 

 I was reminded the other day, whilst examining a 

 little ditch which is used as a hatching place and 

 nursery for trout alevins, of an astonishing instance 

 of wisdom in some small jack or pike which hang 

 about this nursery. The nursery is fenced in by 

 wire netting. Small jack often find their way 

 through the pipe which supplies the nursery with a 

 constant trickle of fresh water. Reaching the upper 

 end of the nursery, they find themselves blocked 

 from further progress in search of prey. On several 

 occasions jack have been found lying stiff and stark 

 on the top of the wire netting. 



It is hardly possible to doubt the way in which 

 they have met their death. Some instinct or 

 reasoning power has told them that the stream must 

 be flowing on the other side of the obstacle and 

 urged them to leap over it and continue their search 

 for fish fry in the water on the other side. This 

 points to reasoning power more surely than the leap 

 of the salmon on the way to the spawning place. 

 The salmon can actually see the river rushing down 

 over weir and ladder can feel it. The small jack 

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