182 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



the street at that juncture found themselves covered with these insects, 

 which settled also on the hedges and gardens, blackening all the 

 vegetables where they alighted. My annuals were discoloured with 

 them, and the stalks of a bed of onions were quite coated over for six 

 days after. These armies were then, no doubt, in a state of emigration, 

 and shifting their quarters ; and might have come, as far as we know, 

 from the great hop-plantations of Kent or Sussex, the wind being all 

 that day in the easterly quarter. They were observed at the same 

 time in great clouds about Farnham, and all along the vale from 

 Farnham to Alton.* 



LETTEE LIT. 



TO THE SAME. 



DEAR SIR, "When I happen to visit a family where gold and silver 

 fishes are kept in a glass bowl, I am always pleased with the occurrence, 

 because it offers me an opportunity of observing the actions and pro- 

 pensities of those beings with whom we can be little acquainted in their 

 natural state. Not long since I spent a fortnight at the house of a 

 friend where there was such a vivary, to which I paid no small attention, 

 taking every occasion to remark what passed within its narrow limits. 

 It was here that I first observed the manner in which fishes die. As 

 soon as the creature sickens, the head sings lower and lower, and it 

 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 swimming-bladders, which contri- 

 bute 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 (ducks' meat), and 

 also on small fry. 



When they want to move a little, they gently protrude themselves 

 with their Pinnce 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 



* For various methods by which several insects shift their quarters, see 

 Perham's "Physico-Theology." 



