ON THE TROUT. 7 



can hear voices in conversation on the banks of a 

 stream, my friend, the Rev. Mr. Brown, of Grat- 

 wich, and myself, selected for close observation a 

 Trout poised about six inches deep in the water, 

 whilst a third gentleman, who was situated behind 

 the fishing-house, (i. e.) diametrically opposite to 

 the side where the fish was, fired off one barrel of 

 his gun. The possibility of the flash being seen 

 by the fish was thus wholly prevented, and the 

 report produced not the slightest apparent effect 

 upon him. 



The second barrel was then fired ; still he re- 

 mained immovable ; evincing not the slightest 

 symptom of having heard the report. This expe- 

 riment was afterwards often repeated, and precisely 

 similar results were invariably obtained ; neither 

 could I, or other persons, ever awaken symp- 

 toms of alarm in the fishes near the hut by shout- 

 ing to them in the loudest tones, although our 

 distance from them did not sometimes exceed six 

 feet. The experiments were not repeated so often 

 as to habituate them to the sound. 



It is possible that fishes may be in some manner 

 affected by vibrations communicated to their ele- 

 ment, either directly, or by the intervention of 

 aerial pulsations ; although it does not seem to be 

 clearly proved that they possess any organ appro- 

 priated exclusively to the purpose of hearing. At 



