Cha,p, yjj 
FISHES. 
17 
period . 26 Under natural conditions it does not seem 
P r obable that beings so highly organised as fishes, and 
which live under such complex relations, should become 
brilliantly coloured without suffering some evil or re- 
viving some benefit from so great a change, and conse- 
•prently without the intervention of natural selection. 
^ hat, then, must we conclude in regard to the many 
^hes, both sexes of which are splendidly coloured? 
br. Wallace 27 believes that the species which frequent 
reefs, where corals and other brightly-coloured organisms 
abound, are briglitly 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- 
coloured corals or other organisms for the fishes to 
resemble ; yet many species in the Amazons arc beau- 
tr fully coloured, and many of the carnivorous Cypri- 
I'ldse in India are ornamented with “ bright longitu- 
dinal lines of various tints .” 28 Mr. M‘Clelland, in 
describing these fishes goes so far as to suppose that 
the peculiar brilliancy of their colours ” serves as “a 
‘‘better mark for king-fishers, terns, and other birds 
"inch are destined to keep the number of these fishes 
Ul check ; ” but at the present day few naturalists will 
Y ' .Owing to some remarks on this sutyect, made in my work ‘ On the 
Cation 0 f Animals under Domestication,’ Mr. \V. F. Mayers 
an . ese kotes and Queries,’ Aug. 1868, p. 123) has searched the 
^ cient Chinese encyclopedias. He limls that gold-fish were first 
Ann’' 11 ocm ^hement during the Sung Dynasty, which commenced 
it 1 ’ . ' tu the year 1129 these fishes abounded. In another place 
“cT Sa ^ s ‘ ni '° the year 1548 there has been “ produced at llang- 
u W w . a variety called the fire fish, from its intensely red colour. It 
“ o i l !?’ versia Uy admired, and there is not a household where it is not 
V i^ a ^ e< b ‘ u rivalry as to Us colour, and as a source of profit.” 
a ( Westminster Review,’ July, 1867, p. 7. 
v ; Indian Cypriuidte,” by Mr. J. M'Clellaud, ‘ Asiatic Researches,’ 
■ s «. part ii 1839, p. 230. 
V OL. Xl . c 
