HOW MUCH CAN A FISH SEE?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23364, 2 December 1937, Page 6

HOW MUCH CAN A FISH SEE?

A TROUT’S EYE VIEW NEW NATURE FILM (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 3. Mr Percy Smith, Gaumont-British instructional ace cameraman, went down into a specially-constructed underwater observation chamber in the River Orwell to obtain shots of the fish-eye view of what takes place when a fisherman starts operations. Weeks of painstaking work have resulted in a short one-minute sequence in a coming "Secrets of Life” film, “The Trout.” which for the first time reveals some remarkably new angles on the art of fishing Whir Dr Ward, a well-known Ipswich fisherman, Mr Smith took every possible view of what a fish might see above water, and secured a remarkable record of what actually does take place below water when a trout approaches a dry fiy. The difference between a perfect cast and a faulty one is clearly revealed. The fact that fish can sec people walking along a riverbank, and even obtain a distorted but quite intelligible view of what they arc doing, is shown beyond dispute. , . , “The importance of taking advantage of every possible cover while fishing has long been known to fishermen.” Mr Smith says, “but just how much a fish could actually see was always a problem Some authorities maintained that the fish saw practically nothing, but was warned of danger bv vibrations caused by footsteps. Whether vibrations play anv part or not in the matter is of no concern now we have demonstrated so effectually that fish can See. Our observations and actual photographs show that a wily old river fish actually appears to keep a sharp lookout for enemies on the riverbanks. The difference between a good and a bad cast is shown in nractice when a trout quietly moves off on seeing a badlydisguised tiook. This is shown in the film.”