Reactions of the Gray Snapper toward .ihnormal Atherinas. 26'/ 



colors used, except when the experimenter was too near them. Thus in the 

 first experiment the first red fish thrown from a distance of 15 feet was 

 taken at once, while the remaining 5 thrown when the experimenter was 

 only 6 feet from the snappers were taken with some hesitation. In subse- 

 quent experiments the experimenter did not approach nearer than 15 feet 

 and the colored atherinas were then taken readily. In only a few indi- 

 vidual instances was any hesitation observed, and it was then found that 

 this was coincident with the moving about of some person on the dock and 

 that it concerned uncolored fish as well as colored. It is an interesting fact 

 that this hesitation is greater if someone is fishing from the dock with a rod. 

 The colors used ranged through the spectrum, although none of them, so 

 far as I know, is a pure spectral color. Since the snappers gave no evidence 

 rhat any of these colors served to warn them, it becomes highly improbable 

 that any color in itself has a warning meaning to them. Had any color had 

 such meaning they should have refused it or taken it with great hesitation. 

 This conclusion seems to me warranted, even though the food ofifered them 

 is, except for its color, one which they take at this season with great fre- 

 quency. 



ABNORMAL TASTE OR ODOR. 



In order to study in a preliminary way the behavior of the snappers 

 toward substances of disagreeable odor or taste, atherinas stained red were 

 treated with various substances and thrown to the snappers with the results 



Table 2. — Reactions of Laboratory colony of gray snappers toward atherinas treated 

 with substances having unpleasant odor or taste, July, 1905. 



■5 



Substance 

 used. 



Formic acid 

 9 per cent. 



Formalde- 

 hyde 40 

 per cent. 



Formalde- 

 h y d e 40 

 per cent. 



Red pepper.. 



Quinine . 



19 



Red pepper 

 and quinine; 



Red pepper, 

 quinine and 

 formic acid. 



Ammonia for- 

 tior. 



Carbon di- 

 sulphide. 



How prepared. 



Stained in fast scarlet containing 

 9 per cent formic acid ; rinsed 

 in sea-water. 



Red fish eviscerated and body 

 cavities filled with absorbent 

 cotton, which was then 

 saturated with formaldehyde. 



As in 12, but surface of body also 

 wet with formaldehyde. 



Red fish wiped dry, smeared with 

 vaseline, rolled in red pepper ; 

 very hot to tongue. 



Prepared as in 14, but with qui- 

 nine ; very bitter to tongue. 



As in 14, but with mixture of 

 red pepper and quinine. 



Prepared as in 11, then as in 16. 



Red fish wet with ammonia I'or- 



tior. 

 Red fish thrown directly from 



bath of carbon disulphide. 



Results. 



Thrown after 3 red fish not 

 treated with formic acid ; some 

 hesitation over first 2 of these. 

 All formic reds taken at once. 



Thrown after 3 normal fish ; all 

 taken at once ; none seen to 

 be rejected. 



As in 12 ; all taken at once ; I 

 formalin red swallowed with 

 some hesitation. 



Thrown after 3 plain reds ; taken 

 at once ; one swallowed slowly. 



Thrown after 3 normal fish ; 



taken at once. 

 As in 15. 



As in 15. 



As in 15. 

 As in 15. 



all 



