THE GOLD-FISH 115 



dour, for they are known to have been kept in England in 

 the seventeenth century, and the Pompadour was not born 

 till the year 1721. At the present day they are reared in 

 thousands for export by the Portuguese ; yet it is not in rich 

 men's palaces that they are to be chiefly found, but in humble 

 village homes, fishmongers' shops, and in hotels a bowl of 

 gold-fish is an object most commonly to be seen. 



A bowl of gold-fish ! What an innocent ornament to the 

 parlour window-sill it seems, until one tries to realise the 

 wants and natural habits of these creatures. Their true home 

 is the ample pool or gently-flowing river, willow-fringed and 

 with grateful cover of waving water-weeds. Food is abundant 

 in the shape of succulent young shoots and larvae of im- 

 measurable variety. They have excellent appetites, and greatly 

 appreciate the different flavours so liberally provided for them. 

 Sunshine is a thing to be grateful for, and they love to bask 

 in it for a while ; but chiefly by reason that, when they have 

 had enough, they can sink into the cool depths and sport with 

 Amaryllis in the shade. Now contrast with this the abode 

 which civilised man provides for the fishes which excite his 

 admiration, and the fare with which he regales his captives. 

 A clear glass bowl, with not a spray of weed or a friendly 

 stone to break its monotony or afford a resting-place : such 

 objects would interfere with the display which it is the sole 

 function of these creatures to provide. Food is seldom given ; 

 by some good people who keep gold-fish it is forbidden, for it 

 is apt to sully the water. Actually when I have remonstrated 

 with kind-hearted women for starving their gold-fish, they 

 have replied confidently, but vaguely, that they fed on the 

 animalculas in the water ! Now I do not suppose it would be 

 possible to devise a more heartless proceeding that is, it 

 would be heartless were it not utterly thoughtless and brainless 

 than a family to sit down three times a day and eat hearty 

 meals in a room ornamented by a bowl of gold-fish. Round 

 and round the hapless prisoners swim within their narrow, 



