26 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



tame carp. How shall we get out of the dilemma ? I invite the reader 

 to try experiments himself. 



So far I have spoken of sounds made in the air being practically 

 unheard in the water. Now for a different aspect of the affair. The chub 

 of which I spoke above did not perceive your voice when you shouted 

 without materially moving yourself ; but assume that he is in the same 

 position, and stamp your foot on the floor of the punt, the chub disappears 

 instantly, and the angler cannot get him to return that day at least. The 

 deduction is evident, and when fishing the tyro should bear in mind that 

 it is infinitely worse to stamp the feet or move about in the punt or walk 

 heavily on the bank than to talk or sing or whistle. Sound made on the 

 surface or in water travels for miles, and fish in a well-fished river know 

 the difference between sounds as well as the angler. 



Growing out of the above remarks are various questions of great 

 interest to the amateur as well as professional ichthyologist. A alight 

 consideration of some of these cannot but be of service to the angler, 

 naturalist, inasmuch as that the necessity for personal observation will be 

 made manifest. The careful observer of fish life is usually a better angler 

 than the careless and unobservant fisher. This is certain. 



Do fish sleep ? An equivocal answer can only be given. My own 

 impression is that they do ; but when I say this let it not be supposed 

 that I confuse their slumber, coma, or rest call it what you like with 

 the sleep of animals. It is the same only in generic kind, inasmuch as 

 that it relieves the functions as analogous slumber does in the higher 

 animals. To understand the meaning I wish to convey it is necessary tq 

 bear in mind that the fish is eminently endowed with muscular and 

 consequently great locomotive power. Moreover, as it consumes but 

 little oxygen, the waste of tissue is not great, hence fish have been known 

 to do without food for a great length of time. Similarly the stress on the 

 vital powers is not great, compared with that produced by the difficulties 

 of movement in land animals. 



These facts viz., great muscular power, easy locomotion, and small 

 consumption of oxygen, being borne in mind, we can understand why 

 the necessity for sleep is small, and are prepared to find that fish sleep 

 but little. And what are the observed facts ? I have, so has every angler, 

 observed the pike lie in the sunshine oblivious of the gently lowered bait, 

 and even unconcerned when gently touched. I have noticed that fish seem 

 to retire towards the period of night before dawn, and Mr. Chas. Capel, of 

 Foot's Cray Fishery, wrote to the Field some little time ago saying in 

 effect that on his entering his fish house at night and striking a light he 

 has seen the young trout rise from their recumbent position on the 

 gravelly bottom of the trough and resume their accustomed vivacity. 



