260 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



swim in that manner is very obvious ; because, when the body 

 is no longer balanced by the fins of the belly, the broad muscular 

 back preponderates by its own gravity, and turns the belly upper- 

 most, 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; because, though they seem to eat nothing, yet the conse- 

 quences of eating often drop from them. That they are best 

 pleased with s\u$s\ 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 Lemna (ducks' meat), and also on small fry. 2 



When they want to move a little, they gently protrude them- 

 selves with their Pinna pectoraks ; but it is with their strong 

 muscular tails only that they and all fishes shoot along with such 

 inconceivable rapidity. It has been said that the eyes of fishes 

 are immoveable ; but these apparently turn them forward or back- 

 ward in their sockets as 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 containing 

 such fishes ; the double refractions of the glass and water repre- 

 sent them, when moving, in a shifting and changeable variety of 

 dimensions, shades, and colours ; while the two mediums, assisted 

 by the concavo-convex shape of the vessel, magnify and distort 

 them vastly ; not to mention that the introduction of another 

 element and its inhabitants into our parlours engages the fancy 

 in a very agreeable manner. 



