FISHES AND PISHING. 97 



above a pound. Kow the question is, whether this 

 was taste, or smell, or the two senses combined. 



Blumenbach says, fish of prey swallow that prey 

 whole. With every respect for that talented anato 

 mist, I must take leave to state that he is incorrect ; 

 if they take a small fish, such as a minnow, they 

 seize it by the middle of its body, in turning it to 

 take it down head-foremost ; they in a manner mas 

 ticate it ; but if the prey be a large gudgeon, or a 

 large roach, or dace, it is much mutilated, and only 

 partially swallowed that is, the head and shoulders ; 

 and the pike, perch, or trout's jaws are constantly in 

 motion, triturating, arid masticating the head and 

 shoulders of the fish so preyed upon, to a pulp, and 

 following up the same process with the remainder, 

 till it all passes into the stomach. 



In the manner of catching trout by bringing the 

 worm opposite to the mouth of the fish whilst he is 

 lying in a torpid state, as if asleep (as mentioned a 

 little further on), the moment a worm enters the jaws, 

 with the little influx of water, the mouth begins to 

 move, apparently in the act of rapid and self-gratify 

 ing mastication. This fact, proves that fish have the 

 organ or sense of taste ; and that in search of truth, 

 dependence is better placed on practical knowledge, 

 than on theoretical assumption. 



The most clear river, about the same time of the 



H 



