OF SELBOllNE. 



103 



water with its belly uppermost. The rea- 

 son 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 prepon- 

 derates by its own gravity, and turns the 

 belly uppermost, as lighter from its being 

 a cavity, and because it contains the swim- 

 ming-bladders, which contribute 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 appa- 

 rent 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 Je/We 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 



