32 SUPPLEMENT ON 



band, and charms by his song the tedious occupation of his 

 companion. The principle of attachment exists in captivity ; 

 the bird knows its master, submits to his order, and performs 

 for his service acts of the greatest nicety ; hunts for him like a 

 dog, and returns at his call from airy flight to his wrist. It 

 can even imitate his language, and it is with some reluctance 

 that we admit its want of a species of reason. 



The inhabitant of the waters, on the contrary, knows no 

 attachments, has no language, no affections ; feelings of con- 

 jugality or paternity are not acknowledged by him ; ignorant 

 of the art of constructing an asylum, in danger he seeks 

 shelter beneath the rocks, or in the darkness of the deep ; his 

 life is silent and monotonous. The cravings of voracity alone 

 influence his instinct sufficiently to teach him some kind of 

 obedience in his movements to external signs. Although so 

 small a share of enjoyment and of intelligence is their lot, 

 fish are nevertheless adorned by the hand of nature with 

 every kind of beauty : variety in their forms, elegance in their 

 proportions, diversity and vivacity in their colours, nothing 

 is wanting to attract the attention of man, and indeed it 

 seems as if that attention was the particular object nature 

 wished to excite. The splendour of every metal, the blaze 

 of every gem, glitter on their surface ; iridescent colours, 

 breaking and reflecting in bands, in spots, in angles, or in 

 undulating lines, always regular, symmetrical ; graduating 

 or contrasting, but always with admirable effect and har- 

 mony, flashing over their sides ; for whom else have they 

 received such gifts, they who at most can barely perceive 

 each other in the twilight of the deep, and if they could see 

 distinctly, what species of pleasure could they receive from 

 such combinations ? 



Allurements like these no doubt have caused man from the 

 remotest ages to direct his attention to animals of this class ; 

 and the abundant food they supply tempted him to pursue 



