6 Big Game Fishes 
by nature to its environment. Now to look at 
its internal economy, not thoroughly, as text- 
books are at hand, but merely to afford the angler 
between strikes a general idea of how his game 
eats, breathes, and makes so determined and gal- 
lant a fight. A section of the fish is shown in 
Fig. 2. Lifting the gill-covers (47) near where the 
fish should be gaffed, we see the gills, blood-red 
membraneous leaflets supported by cartilaginous 
arches, separated by slits. These are situated in 
branchial chambers or breathing rooms on each 
side of the head, and are the lungs or breathing 
organs of the fishes, though in some forms the air- 
bladder assumes this function when the fish leaves 
the water. The fish obtains its oxygen at second 
hand, using minute particles of air which are held 
in the water. Storms and winds raise a sea which 
forces air-bubbles down below the surface, aérat- 
ing the water in sufficient quantities to support 
life. To demonstrate this it is but necessary to 
place a fish in an aquarium and allow the water 
to run in from below; the fish in a short time 
languishes and rises to the surface and dies. In- 
troduce the water from above, imitating the action 
of a wave so that it falls upon the surface with 
force, carrying down air, which is seen permeating 
