BRIEF NOTES ON FISHES. 403 



determine, according to the descriptions given in the 

 books ; but as these lists are made up from a distorted, 

 faded mass of alcoholic specimens, the probabilities are, 

 that those who profess to know the most about these fish, 

 still fall short of the whole truth. 



Foremost among these cyprinoids, the shiner par 

 excellence is the roach. It seldom happens that I look 

 into any ditch, even, and fail to see a dozen or more of 

 them lazily drifting about. They are eminently social, 

 and are often found in enormous schools; but, unlike 

 herds of cattle, droves of horses, or flocks of geese, the 

 roach have no leaders. The danger that affrights one, 

 influences all alike, and as one body away they dart, the 

 moment a threatening shadow clouds the surface of the 

 stream. To watch them, being yourself in full view, is a 

 profitless undertaking. To follow them, yourself unseen, 

 is full of amusement and instruction. At such times it 

 may be possible to get an inner view, and so to determine 

 in a vague way how much intelligence flits through their 

 simple brains, although I must confess that the undertak- 

 ing often is almost hopeless so far as the roach is con- 

 cerned. Although watched for hours, they seemed as 

 little like living creatures as the floating twigs that drift- 

 ed with them. This was due, however, to two important 

 facts : they were neither hungry, nor were they oppressed 

 by enemies. Let either of these conditions be changed, 

 and their manner changes at once. When food is dis- 

 covered, it seems as if each individual roach of the school 

 saw the coveted morsel at the same time, and a chase 

 commences that is, at least, remarkable for the machine- 

 like uniformity in time and motion with which they all 

 rush forward to seize it. I have tested this frequently 

 in this way : Going a short distance above the foremost 

 of the school of roach, which always heads up-stream, 



