FEESH-W^TEK AQUAHIUM. 65 



minnows frozen in a block of solid ice, and after thawing 

 them out, they have been as lively as if nothing unusual 

 had happened; and I see Mr. Hibberd mentions a like fact. 

 The color of the gold carp, as I have before said, varies 

 greatly: thus, its natural color is golden orange with a 

 white belly, but it is sometimes almost white, flesh-colored, 

 grey, and even black; sometimes it is brown, or has its fins 

 tipped with black, or one whole half of the animal is black 

 — such varieties looking very beautiful in an Aquarium. 

 This fish is peaceful and easily domesticated, whilst it will 

 subsist on the smallest amount of food of any fish I have 

 had. This fact highly recommends it to our consideration, 

 as one of our collection. Sometimes the dorsal or the back 

 fin is double, aud the caudal or tail fin divided into three 

 parts, so as to give the fish the appearance of having triple 

 tails. When this latter circumstance occurs, Mr. Farrel has 

 observed that they are deficient in dorsal fins. As to feed- 

 ing gold-fish, many writers condemn bread as being delete- 

 rious, whilst Mr. Hibberd, a gentleman who seems to under- 

 stand the management of an Aquarium, says: "There is no 

 better food for gold-fish than the crumb of bread." And 

 Dr. Lankestcr also observes : " Gold-fish may be fed on 

 bread or biscuit." I, myself, acting on these suggestions, 

 have fed them on bread, and found that they thrived won- 

 derfully ; and Avhile so fed, I could not persuade them to 

 partake of meat with the other fish — they would only take 

 it into their mouths, and, after tasting, reject it ; but if 

 allowed no bread, and fed on meat alone, they would 

 sicken, and even die. 



Great care should be taken in feeding gold, as well as 



