528 Short Communications: — 



silver fishes. Mr. Hall conducted me to a large marble basin 

 or pond in his garden, containing a number of the same kind 

 of fish. A fountain played into the basin ; and, notwith- 

 standing the undulation of the water, its surface was nearly 

 covered with a green weed of a very fine texture, which Mr. 

 Hall informed me he had often endeavoured to eradicate, but 

 without success. He, therefore, suffered it to increase : and 

 soon found the advantage of it; for it seemed to encourage 

 the growth of a small vermilion- coloured worm, upon which 

 the fish fed ; and they in a short time afterwards spawned. 

 Mr. Hall stated, that, at this period, he was most anxious to 

 obtain information respecting the economy of this class of 

 fish, so that he might promote the increase of their number 

 in the best possible manner ; but all his endeavours were 

 fruitless, as he could not meet with, in any book or treatise, a 

 satisfactory account of the subject; wherefore he resolved to 

 commence studying them himself. Ji hnoq b oia'i nnuw 



In watching the progress of the spawn, he discovered that 

 the fishes not only fed upon the vermilion-coloured worms, 

 but preyed upon their own young fry ; which induced him to 

 remove as many of the latter as he could catch, and place 

 them in glass globes, with a small quantity of the before- 

 mentioned weed in each. The young fish grew rapidly, but 

 diminished in number ; when, upon investigation, it was ascer- 

 tained that the larger devoured the smaller of these young 

 broods, and those only escaped who could defend themselves 

 against the attacks of their voracious adversaries. To remedy 

 this, he selected others, nearly equal in size, and placed them 

 in separate glasses : after which, the fish increased in growth 

 and strength; and there appeared no diminution, as here- 

 tofore, in their numbers. Mr. Hall collected some of the 

 vermilion-coloured worms from the weeds in the large marble 

 basin, and, in my presence, threw them into each of the glass 

 globes containing gold and silver fishes about half grown : 

 these instantly darted at the vermilion- coloured worms, and 

 swallowed them with avidity. — Henry Stratton. Enfold, 

 Jan. 31. 1833. 



These facts are interesting. The addition of the generic 

 and specific names, both of the " green weed of a very fine 

 texture," and " the small vermilion-coloured worm," would 

 increase the value : and these can, doubtless, be acquired by 

 submitting a specimen of the plant and of the worm to per- 

 sons versed in these objects. The plant is probably a species 

 of Conferva, or of some allied genus. On the history of the 

 introduction of the gold fish, and the variety of it, the silver 

 fish, as also on their habits, useful information is given in 



