LI9RA 
45 X^^.* 3 
they then pass and repass it without any further apparent notice. Again 
when fresh plants are placed in an aquarium, they will swim in and out 
of them in every direction as if to satisfy themselves that they are 
really plants. Another curious thing that I have noticed is that, when 
fresh clean sand is deposited in one spot, they are very fond of balancing 
themselves over it in an almost perpendicular position, drawing in, by 
suction, a mouthful of it, which they convey to another spot and there 
deposit it, carrying on this operation till quite a quantity of the sand 
has been removed. This apparently curious habit I attribute to their 
propensity for preparing in their natural condition, a fitting repository 
for their spawn. 
Whether Fish have taste or not, is I think past our comprehension 
but I am inclined to the idea that they have for we all know that when 
one bait fails to attract, another will often prove attractive, and the only 
reason one can naturally assign for that is that it is one more suited to 
their taste. 
I should like to say something about the diseases to which Fish, 
pent up in acquaria seem subject, but although I have suffered from 
time to time by apparent epidemics, I am not able to pronounce any 
deductions from these losses. Only this winter I record the loss, one 
after another, of some 12 or 14 minnows which I obtained in October 
last, and which remained thoroughly strong and lively till the early part 
of January, when they commenced to sicken and die two or three a day 
till the whole disappeared. The water was regularly changed and they 
were properly fed, but some evident epidemic had taken possession of 
the shoal, as happens among the human race. The symptoms were an 
apparent enlargement of the head, with protrusion of the gills, and loss 
of color in the tail end of the body. The air bladder was evidently 
affected as they first kept on the surface, then lost their power of bal- 
ancing themselves and within twenty-four hours, died. Two small 
minnows which have occupied the aquarium since the previous winter 
escaped, and are still alive. 
I have noticed that in a majority of the deaths amongst my Goldfish, 
a peculiar fungus-like growth covers the gills, sometimes both, sometimes 
only one gill. This seems to come on in the last stage as it does not 
show when they first sicken. The ear\y symptoms are violent restless. 
