162 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



using them.' I wonder if the smell of brandy attracts pike at all. 

 Do you think it possible? Or do you account for it in consequence 

 of the extra liveliness of the bait through the dose of brandy ? 

 Apologising for taking up your valuable space, I am, &c., 

 Maldon. A. S. ISAAC. 



Commenting on this communication, Mr. Oldham Cham- 

 bers writes : 



The letter from Mr. Isaac fully establishes the views that I hold 

 in relation to the effect noticed by him ; but some latitude must be 

 given to the lively descriptive strain of this gentleman's letter. I 

 disagree in toto with the sweeping assertions made by some of your 

 correspondents as to the cruelty of the experiment in torturing the 

 fish and inciting intoxication. One of your correspondents suggests 

 that the brandy actually scorches or cauterises the delicate fibres 

 of the fish, which, to my mind, is as fallacious as the preceding 

 statement. I entirely agree that to advocate cruelty would be 

 most reprehensible ; but the administration of a small quantity of 

 brandy, such as that employed in my experiment, could not possibly 

 be the means of promoting inebriation or instigating cruelty. On 

 the contrary, the experiment is perfectly harmless and of the 

 greatest service to fish culture ; and for the information of your 

 readers, perhaps you will allow me to explain the nature of respira- 

 tion amongst fishes, which will furnish an idea of the effect pro- 

 duced by the administration of spirits. 



For the due performance of respiration in fishes it is essential 

 that the circulation of blood should be carried on with sufficient 

 velocity to allow of the interchange of gases to take place. This is 

 effected by means of the muscles in connection with the pharyngeal 

 passages driving the aerated water through the branchiae. Owing 

 to the position of the heart, the blood is propelled through the re- 

 spiratory apparatus before it proceeds to the system at large. The 

 physiology of respiration in fishes is not dissimilar to other ver- 

 tebrata ; since there must be nerve force to govern the respiratory 

 movements, and control the supply of oxygen to the system, so 

 also must there be a nerve centre, which is situated in the medulla 

 oblongata, or that portion of the encephalon forming the junction 

 between the brain and the spinal cord. When a fish is removed 

 from the water death ensues from asphyxia, caused by carbonic 

 acid poisoning due to the drying up of the membrane covering the 

 gills. Therefore, the administration of brandy to a fish in this con- 



