AND FISHING. 105 



many years domesticated in this country, and now 

 breeds in our fish ponds almost as readily as carp. 

 The male is of a bright red colour, from the top of 

 the head to the middle of the body ; the rest is of a 

 gold colour ; no gilding can equal it. The female 

 is white, but its tail and half its body resembles 

 the lustre of silver. The red and white colour 

 are not always the marks of the male and female ; 

 but the female has several white spots round its 

 orifices of hearing, and in the males these spots 

 are much brighter. Gold-fish are light and lively, 

 and their colours appear in the greatest splendour 

 when swimming about in glass bowls. They have 

 been known to come to be fed at the sound of a 

 small rattle ; yet they are extremely delicate, and 

 sensible of injuries of the air, such as a loud noise, 

 the roaring of cannon and thunder : a strong 

 smell, a shaking of the vessel, or a touch, will 

 destroy them. These fish live with little nourish- 

 ment. The Chinese feed them in their reservoirs 

 with small balls of paste, pork dried in the sun and 

 reduced to a delicate powder, sometimes snails, 

 the slime of which is a great delicacy for them. 

 In winter they are kept in warm rooms, and take 

 no nourishment. This fish multiplies fast in warm 

 climates. The spawn floats on the top of the 

 water ; but the fish will eat it, if not immediately 

 taken away, and put into another vessel, where it 

 is exposed to the sun until it is vivified by heat. 

 Gold fishes are very plentiful in Japan, and of the 



