HAVE FISHES MEMORY?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 849, 7 June 1910, Page 4

HAVE FISHES MEMORY?

dludies as to the mental powers of animals have already been made on reviral occasions, but only ream ly hive enquiries been made as to whither fisues have a memory or not. Results hate shown tracts of memory both in coial zoophytes and other denizens of i i.e deep, lixpeiiments hate been ma e with several fishes, but the mo-1 striking icsults have been obt lined with the gtey perch, which live* chiefly on a small silveryhued sardine. Some oi the c e were taken and coluure t led, and were then put into the tank where the peich was with several other silver coloured sardines. Oi course, the not mal ones were at once attacked and eaten, but it was not till Hungry that the perches made a tentative meal of one ot the redcolouted vicvims ; on recognising the Mtdine flavour, however, be .promptly demolished the remainder. Subsequently the specimens in the lank devoured the sardines irrespective of colour, thus showing not only traces of memory but also the power to diflercntiale colour. Subsequently sardines coloured red and blue were placed in the tank together with silver ones ; the same scene was repealed, the blue ones not bang attacked till tne others were eaten, and hunger compelled investigation of the newcomers. Allei this introduction the perch ale the sardines ot all three types without any difficulty. Some spines of the sea nettle (actinia) were then fastened to the blue sardines ; these vveie at once avoided by the perch, who promptly got out of the way ol the newcomers. This showed traces of memory, as the result of contact with sea nettle were clearly shown and recognised.