274 GOLD AND SILYEB, FISHES. 



stands, as it were, on its head ; till, getting weaker, and 

 losing all poise, the tail turns over, and, at last, it floats on 

 the surface of the water, with its belly uppermost. The 

 reason why fishes, when dead, 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 uppermost, as lighter, 

 from its being a cavity, and because it contains the swim- 

 ming 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 consequences of eating often drop from them.* 

 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 

 lemna (duck's meat), and also on small fry. 



When they want to move a little, they gently protrude 

 themselves with their pinned pectorales ; 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 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 



* The gold fish in the fountain in Hampton Court Gardens eat a large 

 quantity of food, especially of potatoes well boiled and broken very small. 

 They are also much fed by the public with biscuit, bread, &c. They are very 

 healthy, and grow to a large size. They feed on each other's spawn, and also 

 make darts at the mud, and thus disturb aquatic insects on which they feed. 

 I am convinced that they hear, from many experiments I have tried in order 

 to ascertain the fact. ED. 



