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ting 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 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 sup- 

 port from animalcula, and other nourishment supplied by the 

 water; because, though they seem to eat nothing, yet the con- 

 sequences 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 (ducks' meat), and also on small fry. 2 



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

 selves with their Pinna perforates ; 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 immovable ; but these apparently turn them for- 

 ward or backward 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 rep- 

 resent them, when moving, in a shifting and changeable vari- 

 ety of dimensions, shades, and colors ; while the two mediums, 

 assisted by the concavo-convex shape of the vessel, magnify 

 and distort them vastly ; not to mention that the introduction 



