ON THE SENSE OF HEARING IN FISHES. 307 



what Dr. Franklin says concerning sounds made under 

 water (See Derham on sounds made under water but heard 



above) *. 



* [The passage here referred to is in a note near the close of the third 

 chapter of Derham's ' Physico-Theology,' and is as follows: "But 'tis 

 not the air alone that is capable of the impressions of sound, but the water 

 also, as is manifest by striking a bell under water, the sound of which 

 may plainly enough be heard, but is much duller, and not so loud ; and it 

 is also a fourth deeper, by the ear of some great judges in musical notes 

 who gave me their judgment in the matter. ButMersenne saith, a sound 

 made under water, is of the same tone or note, if heard under water ; as 

 are also sounds made in the air, when heard under water. Vide MERSEN. : 

 Hydraul. Having mentioned the hearing of sounds under water, there 

 is another curiosity worth mentioning, that also further proves water to 

 be susceptible of the impressions of sound, viz. Divers at the bottom of 

 the sea can hear the noises made above only confusedly ; but on the con- 

 trary those above cannot hear the Divers below." The most elaborate 

 and interesting investigations which had at this time been made on this 

 subject were those of Anderon, recorded in the Phil. Trans, for 1748, with 

 which Gilbert White does not appear to have been acquainted. He came 

 to the conclusion that fishes are devoid of the sense of hearing, which, 

 however, is scarcely proved by his facts. Franklin's experiments, inter- 

 esting and conclusive as they are, do not appear to bear upon the question 

 of the hearing of fishes. They show the extent to which sound is con- 

 veyed through water, but go no further. T. B.] 



