Chap. XII. 
FISHES, 
17 
period.^® Under natural conditions it does not seem 
probable that beings so highly organised as fishes, and 
which live under such complex relations, should become 
brilliantly coloured without suffering some evil or re- 
ceiving some benefit from so great a change, and conse- 
quently without the intervention of natural selection. 
What, then, must we conclude in regard to the many 
fishes, both sexes of which are splendidly coloured? 
Mr. Wallace believes that the species which frequent 
reefs, where corals and other brightly-coloured organisms 
abound, are brightly coloured in order to escape detec- 
tion by their enemies ; but according to my recollection 
they were thus rendered highly conspicuous. In the 
fresh-waters of the Tropics there are no brilliantly- 
eoloured corals or other organisms for the fishes to 
resemble ; yet many species in the Amazons are beau- 
tifully coloured, and many of the carnivorous Cypri- 
nidae in India are ornamented with ‘^bright longitu- 
dinal lines of various tints.” Mr. McClelland, in 
describing these fishes goes so far as to suppose that 
cc the peculiar brilliancy of their colours ” serves as a 
cc better mark for king-fishers, terns, and other birds 
cc which are destined to keep the number of these fishes 
ccin check;” but at the present day few naturalists will 
Owing to some remarks on this subject, made in my work ‘ On the 
Variation of Animals under Domestication/ Mr. W. F. Mayers 
Chinese XTotes and Queries,’ Aug. 1868, p. 123) has searched the 
ancient Chinese encyclopedias. He finds that gold-fish were first 
reared in confinement during the Sung Dynasty, which commenced 
A.D. 960. In the year 1129 these fishes abounded. In another place 
it is said that since the year 1548 there has been ‘‘ produced at Hang- 
chow a variety called the fire-fish, from its intensely red colour. It 
is universally admired, and there is not a household where it is not 
cultivated, in rivalry as to its colour, and as a source of profit.” 
‘Westminster Eeview,’ July, 1867, p. 7. 
28 “ Indian Cyprinidas,” by Mr. J. McClelland, ‘ Asiatic Researches,’ 
vol. xix. part ii. 1839, p. 230. 
VOL. II. 
C 
