MINNOWS. 259 



to entertain us, especially as he has visited so many 

 climates, that he often illustrates his subjects by an 

 account of what he has seen in other countries. 



In one of our rambles along the edge of the river, 

 I perceived something at the bottom of the water, 

 which had the appearance of a flower. I remarked 

 it to my companions. Observing it attentively, we 

 found that it consisted of a circular assemblage of 

 minnows : their heads all met in a centre, and their 

 tails diverging at equal distances, and being elevated 

 above their heads, gave them the appearance of a 

 flower half blown. One was longer than the rest, 

 and as often as a straggler came in sight, he quit- 

 ted his place to pursue him; and having driven 

 him away, he returned to it again, no other minnow 

 offering to take it in his absence. This we saw him 

 do several times. The object that had attracted 

 them all, was a dead minnow, which they seemed 

 to be devouring.* How strange ! that they should 

 feast on the dead body of one of their own species, 

 and that so much order should be observed in the 

 ceremony. Fishes appear to have less intelligence 

 than quadrupeds or birds ; at least, their facility of 

 communication with us is so much less, that we 

 cannot so readily perceive the drift of their ac- 

 tions, as those of the creatures which inhabit the 



* Hayley's Life of Cowper, Letter 60th. 



