178 



firm and fresh, but are ignored when old and unpalatable. 

 It is said that eels will eat putrid meat, but even this we 

 deny, at least so far as to say that they will seek it when 

 in good order much more ardently. 



There are several blind fish in the State preserves, 

 some of which have lived in confinement for years. They 

 have to contend for their share of the daily food against 

 their fellows who are in possession of all their faculties. 

 Nevertheless they manage to get their full rations, and 

 keep as fat as the fattest. The food is thrown in at in- 

 tervals, and the fish being hungry, and knowing from 

 habit what it is, dart at it without fear, making the water 

 boil and foam. It would seem as though only the most 

 active could obtain any, and in the struggle pieces of 

 meat which are too large to be swallowed at once, are 

 often torn from mouth to mouth. Amid this hurly-burly 

 and confusion, the blind would seem to stand a poor 

 chance ; and yet against such odds they hold their own. 

 Their powers ot scent must be wonderfully developed, 

 for it is on them alone they can rely. They do not go 

 grubbing on the bottom for such pieces as may have 

 escaped attention, and have sunk, but they dart into the 

 crowd of ravenous creatures, and carry off their propor- 

 tion in fair fight. Compared with man's helplessness 

 when deprived of sight, their self reliance is incredible, 

 and must be seen to be fully believed. 



There are rivers and lakes which are always turbid, 

 and in which all piscatory life would cease were depen- 

 dence for food to be placed alone on sight. The Missis- 

 sippi is an example, its waters are never clear, but carry 

 an amount of sediment which must render vision at more 

 than a short distance impossible. It is not suited to a 

 great variety offish, but such as dwell in it are fat, and 

 often attain great size. In the rivers and waters of the 



