THE SENSES OF FISHES. 33 



of sewage if the latter be fresh, but putrid fsecal matter 

 is a horrible and unqualified destroyer of all water- 

 courses whatsoever, and should be utterly and relent- 

 lessly reprobated by all interested in the preservation of 

 fish for food and sport. 



So far as trout are concerned, the sense of smell does 

 not appear superiorly developed, in comparison with 

 other fishes. I am not willing to believe that this sense 

 exists in a state of higher refinement in fish as compared 

 with ourselves, and, therefore, as we cannot detect any 

 particular odor in the food of this species (except in 

 such flies as the Fetid Brown, or Cinnamon fly, limne- 

 philus stigmaticus, and a few others), it is fair to pre- 

 sume that the trout do not. It is true that the ancient 

 works on angling frequently speak of oils and unguents 

 for the attraction of fish, but I never could find they 

 were of any use, and I have tried scores of recipes. 

 Some time since, a firm in England began selling 

 "stinking Glad win" as an infallible enticer of fish. I 

 used some, and was disappointed, as I deserved to be. 

 If trout or any other fish perceive the whereabouts of 

 food from a distance, it is owing to their microscopic 

 keenness of sight in perceiving the tiny detached 

 fragments flowing from it. These they will follow up 

 and find as is well-known to the still fisherman who 

 has ground baited by taste and sight rather than smell. 

 The latter sense, in fish, I am inclined to place amongst 

 the impossibilities, though I have, somewhat (( Hiber- 

 nically," to use an euphemism, devoted quite a space to 

 its consideration. 



