A ‘Window’ Technique for Observing Fish Viscera in vivo

Abstract

DESCRIPTIONS of the behaviour of viscera seen in vivo are rare compared with the numerous observations made on preparations isolated from the body and maintained under conditions varying to a greater or lesser extent from their normal physiological environment. A ‘window’ technique has been developed which allows close observations to be made of the movements of the gut of fish which are living and feeding under normal conditions. It was originally designed for observing the normal gastric motility of the brown trout (Salmo trutta), but was later more fully developed for the pike (Esox lucius).