INTEODUCTOET EEMARKS. 13 



has been so dark, that you could scarcely see the rod you held 

 in your hand, much less the fly on the water ; therefore I 

 advise anglers when fishing to keep as much out of sight as 

 possible. There seems to be a doubt on this subject, and so 

 we will give the fish the benefit of the doubt, and say that 

 their vision is comparatively perfect. There seems to be a 

 great difference of opinion also as to the sense of hearing in 

 fish : one says he has repeatedly tried the experiment of firing 

 a gun near fish, when only a few inches under water, without 

 any effect on them whatever, from which we should almost 

 fancy that fish could not hear at all ; in fact, another writer 

 says, "They have no sense of hearing whatsoever." On the 

 other hand, some naturalists say that fish have a most acute 

 sense of hearing. I have also read that fish in a pond may 

 be trained to come to a person when called by the sound of a 

 bell, or of the human voice ; here is a great difference of 

 opinion on an important question to anglers ; still I think 

 anglers when fishing, need not fear indulging in a little 

 friendly chat. What they want to particularly observe is 

 this : Don't stamp about on the bank close to the water 

 where you are fishing; that operation is fatal to a roach swim. 

 Can the fish hear the noise 1 or does it cause a vibration in 

 the water ? perhaps the latter, but one thing is certain, roach 

 will forsake a swim, if the angler indulges in an impromptu 

 Irish jig on the water's edge. Can fish sleep ? or do they go 

 to sleep 1 is perhaps more correct 1 I have had this question 

 asked me by various anglers ; my answer has been, " I don't 

 know for certain, but I should suppose they do ; sleep is 

 necessary to man and animals, and why not to fish? " No one, 

 as the song says, " ever caught a weasel asleep," and I think 

 nobody ever caught a fish asleep. I have been by the water 

 side all night during the summer, and I could hear fish rising 

 till nearly midnight, and then for a couple of hours or so, or 

 till nearly daybreak, they ceased ; and no fish except eels 



