Chaft. vi. Fiah oommimicatt Ideas. 65 



fast as you can throw in yont fly. I'<ut those exceptions militate 

 Dot against the genera] rule, and the conclusion I have drawn ; 

 they only indicate, as in an instance above, that on those excep- 

 tional days appetite overmasters prudence, despite communicated 

 cautions. The male Btickleback is known to build a nest, and 

 then to find and bring a female partner to it. Why should it not 

 be believed that the male stickleback made a communication 

 that induced the Eemale to accompany him, just as much as such 

 communications are believed to be made by dogs and other animals 

 which live on the land ] The fact of living wholly on the land, or 

 much in the air, or wholly in the water, does not seem to affect the 

 question, ft affects only om facilities for observation by limiting 

 them sadly. But, as far as observations go, they seem to indicate 

 that there is no difference in this respect between fish and other 

 animals. They all seem to need, to have, and to use, the power of 

 i on versing, whether by articulate sounds, or by what Dr. W. Lauder 

 Lindsay calls " non-vocal language." 



One more thought occurs to me. I will not put it among the 

 indications of language, because I am not sure that it fairly is one, 

 though it may he. Many anglers will have noticed that in playing 

 "in- fish it is not infrequently followed about through all its 

 struggles, by its pair fish, in the case of the marral, or by a crowd 

 of fishes as with the Mahseer. Why is this ? Is it merely that 

 the others are curious ? If so, what is it that they are curious 

 about ? Is it about the strange demeanour of the played fish ? 

 They follow it very closely. Or can it be that the hooked fish has 

 expressed astonishment or fear, or has asked for aid I Do they 

 want to ask him what is the matter ? 



This brings me to another sense, the sense of smell in fishes, in 

 connection with the immediate subject of this chapter. 



It was out of the question of the size of the bait to be used, 

 that this discussion of tin- intelligence and communicative power 

 of fish grew; and the next question is whether it is advisable to 

 preserve bait in any way, against the eventuality of not being able 

 to procure it fresh when wanted. It is obvious it will not do to 

 let it take care of itself, for it will very soon get so rotten as not 

 to stay on a hook for five minutes, besides being offensive; conse- 

 quently bait are commonly salted in England, and thus kept on 

 Some fishermen have objected to the salt on the ground of 



THE ROD IN INDIA. P 



