XVI. 



THE COLOUR-SENSE IN FISHES. 



THE question of the powers and limitations of 

 the organs of sight in fish, and the extent to 

 which they enable them to discriminate between 

 colours, is an interesting and difficult problem, 

 appealing strongly to the fisherman as well as 

 to the naturalist. 



As in all questions connected with the investi- 

 gation of the life-history of fish, the matter is 

 rendered all the more difficult by the fact of 

 their inhabiting a different medium from our- 

 selves. Nevertheless the experienced angler 

 who is also an observant man, and the two 

 are not necessarily always synonymous, must 

 have often had opportunity of noting facts 

 throwing light on some aspects of the question. 



From the point of view of the fisherman the 

 sense of sight of fishes, and particularly of the 

 Salmonidae, is doubtless of much importance. 

 That their eyesight is acute, to an extent that 



is proverbial, needs no demonstration. The 



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