106 ANECDOTES OF FISHES 



most beautiful colours. The first were brought to 

 England in 1611. 



Habits of the Gold Fish. Mr. Hull, of Der- 

 byshire, had in his garden a marble bason contain- 

 ing gold fish ; the surface of which bason was 

 nearly covered with a green weed, which he had 

 endeavoured to eradicate, but without success. It 

 seemed to encourage a small vermillion-coloured 

 worm, upon which the fish fed. They afterwards 

 spawned ; in watching the progress of which, Mr. 

 Hull found that the fish ate their own fry as well 

 as the worm. This induced him to remove the 

 young fry into glass globes, with a small quantity 

 of the weed, and they grew rapidly, but dimi- 

 nished in number. It was observed, the larger 

 devoured the smaller. After which, Mr. Hall 

 selected equal sizes together, and the fish in- 

 creased in growth and strength. 



Mag. Nat. Hist, vol. vi. 



GOLD AND SILVER FISH. 



It is well known that these fish live and thrive 

 in a bowl on pure water ; and from this it may be 

 inferred, that fish in general are endowed, by the 

 economy of their natural organization, with the 

 faculty of deriving sustenance from mere water, 

 in the same manner as terrestrial animals derive 

 their sustenance from vegetables. Dr. Anderson. 



