298 NATURAL HISTORY 
gravity, and turns the belly uppermost, as lighter, 
from its being a cavity, and because it contains the 
swimming bladders, which contribute to render it 
buoyant. Some that delight in gold and silver 
fishes have adopted a notion that they need no 
aliment. ‘True it is that they will subsist for a — 
long time without any apparent food but what they 
can collect from pure water frequently changed ; 
yet they must draw some support from animalcula 
and other nourishment supplied by the water. ‘That 
they are best pleased with such jejune diet may 
easily be confuted, since if you toss them crumbs 
they will seize them with great readiness, not to 
say greediness: however, bread should be given 
sparingly, lest, turning sour, it corrupt the water. 
They will also feed on the water-plant called Jemna 
(duck’s meat), and also on small fry. 
When they want to move a little they gently 
protrude themselves with their pinnae pectorales ; 
but it is with their strong muscular tails only that 
they, and all fishes, shoot along with such incon- 
ceivable rapidity. It has been said that the eyes 
of fishes are immovable; but these apparently 
turn them forward or backward in their sockets, as 
their occasions require. They take little notice of 
a lighted candle, though applied close to their 
heads, but flounce and seem much frightened by a 
sudden stroke of the hand against the support 
whereon the bowl is hung, especially when they 
have been motionless, and are perhaps asleep. As 
fishes have no eyelids, it is not easy to discern 
when they are sleeping or not, because their eyes 
are always open. 
Nothing can be more amusing than a‘glass bowl ' 
