4 PISCATORIAL REMINISCENCES 



they took bread out of the hands of their young 

 mistress. As no animals have stronger instincts 

 than fish, I see no reason why they should not be 

 capable of recognizing, and perhaps attaching 

 themselves to them that feed them. 



Medwins Angler in Wales. 



FINE SENSE OF SMELL IN FISH. 



M. La Cepede observes, that their smell is the 

 most exquisite. The distance which a fish will 

 traverse in pursuit of prey, attracted by odorous 

 emanations, is immense. The seat of smell is the 

 true eye of fish, which directs them in thickest 

 darkness, in the most troubled and agitated 

 waters. There is every reason to believe that 

 certain odours attract or repel fish ; this seems 

 unquestionable. The seat of this sense is in their 

 nostrils. Cuvier. 



SPEAKING, OR VOICE, OF FISH. 



How do we know that fish have not as many, 

 and perhaps more vocal expressions, than birds ; 

 they all of them seem to have been formed nearly 

 upon the same model. Some fly, others swim. 

 It is written in Genesis, that God created at the 

 same time birds and fishes, from the bosom of the 

 waters. Fishes are provided with the five senses. 

 Why should they not have the faculty of speak- 

 ing like the rest ? Water is thoroughly penetrated 

 with the air which we breathe : why might they 



