Page 91 - The Miracles of Smell and Taste
P. 91
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A shark possesses nostrils
much like those of human beings, but
it uses them only for smelling. When
swimming, it analyses the molecules that en-
ter its nostrils. Approximately one-third of its
brain is devoted to smell. 71 The scent perception
mechanism in sharks is totally unique to them, en-
abling them to follow a smell to its point of origin. They can de-
tect the scent of a drop of blood in the sea
or the very tiniest amounts of chemical
substances from other creatures. For ex-
ample, they can detect the smell of
ten drops of tuna odor in a swim-
ming pool full of water. 72
Eels are also exceedingly sensi-
tive to odors. An eel can de-
tect the smell of a thimble-
ful of a chemical substance
poured into a large lake. 73
Salmon are one of
those fish whose senses of
smell have been most in-
tensively researched.
