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 propensities 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 sinks 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 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 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 duck’s meat (_Lemna_), and also on small fry.
When they want to move a little they gently protrude themselves with
their _pinnæ 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 apparently turn them forward or backward in their sockets as their
occasions require. They take little notice of a lighted candle, though
applied close to their heads, but flounce and seem much frightened by a
sudden stroke of the hand against the support whereon the bowl is hung;
especially when they have been motionless, and are perhaps asleep. As
fishes have no eyelids, it is not easy to discern when they are sleeping
or not, because their eyes are always open.
Nothing can be more amusing than a glass bowl containing such fishes:
the double refractions of the glass and water represent them, when
moving, in a shifting and changeable variety of dimensions, shades, and
colours, while the two mediums, assisted by the concavo-convex shape of
the vessel, magnify and distort them vastly; not to mention that the
introduction of another element and its inhabitants into our parlours
engages the fancy in a very agreeable manner.
Gold and silver fishes, though originally natives of China and Japan,
yet are become so well reconciled to our climate as to thrive and
multiply very fast in our ponds and stews. Linnæus ranks this species of
fish under the genus of _Cyprinus_, or carp, and calls it _Cyprinus
auratus_.—_White’s Selborne._
QUITTER, _s._ A disease in horses.
This is a disease of the foot, originating in a bruise or tread upon the
coronet, or thin parts of the hoof. Superficial injuries on the coronet
are often inflicted by the horse scratching himself with the opposite
heel. But the bruise which causes quitter is of a more serious nature,
and is inflicted by the horse stepping with great force upon the higher
part of the inside of the foot, in endeavouring to save himself from
slipping; and from this it is that the disorder generally or almost
always takes place in winter, when the roads are slippery. It is well
known that smiths, and the most ignorant of farriers, often succeed in
their treatment of this disorder, and that veterinary surgeons often
fail. The cause is, that they are not sufficiently attentive to such
cases, and do not follow up the dressing as it is necessary to do, in
order to get at the bottom of the injury. In order to cure a quitter
effectually, let the following directions be carefully attended to.
Ascertain carefully, by means of a probe, the direction and extent of
the sinuses, or pipes, as they are termed, then let them be completely
filled with sublimate.
To do this effectually, the sublimate must be wrapped up in small pieces
of whitey-brown paper, and introduced by very small portions at a time,
so that they may be forced, as near as possible, to the bottom of the
sinus. But however carefully this may be done, the sinuses are always so
crooked or winding, that the first dressing can seldom be got to the
bottom of them. In six or seven days a large slough or core will come
out, when the dressing has been properly applied; and as soon as this
has taken place, it may be necessary to dress in the same manner as at
first; and even this must be repeated if the bottom of the disease is
not found, and that generally is the lateral cartilage. Nothing more is
necessary after this than to keep the sinus filled with lint, dipped in
friar’s balsam, taking care to introduce it quite to the bottom every
time of dressing. The sinus will thus be gradually filled up and healed.
Quitters are sometimes cured by syringing the part, after it has been
cored out, with sublimate. For this purpose a tube is forced into the
wound, so as to reach the bottom, and through it a strong solution of
blue vitriol, or tincture of myrrh, is injected. When these means fail,
the foul cartilage, or bone, may be scraped by a very small chisel or
gouge, or other more convenient instrument. I have seen quitters cured,
or rather dried up, merely by dressing with tincture of myrrh, after
coring it out with sublimate. The opening has often remained, and
appeared to have become horny within, so that no inconvenience was felt
from it. Another method of curing quitter is one commonly practised by
farriers or shoeing smiths, and is called boring. This is done by
pasting a red-hot iron, of a suitable size and form, to the bottom of
the sinus, and then filling it with sublimate, or strong sublimate
ointment. Sometimes another opening is made through the sound parts, at
a little distance from the quitter, but in a slanting direction, so as
to communicate with the quitter: this also is filled with sublimate
ointment.
When much pain and swelling take place after the operation, the foot may
be wrapped in a large poultice. After the cure of a bad quitter there is
often a permanent defect on that side of the hoof, which is named a
false quarter; that is, the new shoot of horn that grows down is
imperfect, depressed, of a light colour, and is apt to split, and become
a sand crack. When a horse receives a wound or bruise on the foot or
coronet, by treading upon it, or by other means, the most likely method
of preventing a quitter is to bathe the wound or bruise with a strong
stimulant, such as tincture of myrrh, friar’s balsam, spirit of
turpentine, or camphorated spirit. This seems to deaden the sensibility
of the bruised or wounded nerves, and thereby prevent inflammation more
effectually than a poultice. Should inflammation take place, however,
afterwards, a poultice should be applied.—_White._
RACE, DONCASTER, for the Great St. Leger Stakes, 1832, of which our
Frontispiece, drawn by POLLARD, expressly for this work, is a
correct representation.
The following is the account given in the Sporting Magazine for that
year:—
And now the hour arrived to set all fancies and opinions at nought, and
disclose what so many had so long and anxiously looked forward to
ascertain. On clearing the ground, the following seventeen showed
themselves, parading before the stand, to exhibit their varied beauties
and accomplishments before the bouquet of female elegance and beauty
which shone studded in brilliancy amidst an animated multitude:—
Lord Sligo’s ch. c. Daxon, by Langar—Cora A. Pavis.
Sir R. Bulkeley’s b. c. Birdcatcher, by St. Patrick Calloway.
Mr. Houldsworth’s b. c. David, by Catton S. Darling.
Mr. Edmundson’s ch. c. Richmond, by Jack Spigot R. Johnson.
Mr. Powlett’s gr. f. by Figaro J. Holmes.
Lord Cleveland’s ch. c. Trustee, by Catton J. Day.
Mr. Ridsdale’s b. c. Brother to Maria, by Whisker Scott.
Lord Kelburne’s b. c. Retainer, by Jerry G. Nelson.
Mr. F. Richardson’s b. c. Fang, by Langar Connolly.
Mr. S. Fox’s br. c. Julius, by Jerry S. Templeman.
Lord Exeter’s b. c. Byzantium, by Sultan Arnull.
Mr. Skipsey’s b. c. Physician, by Brutandorf H. Edwards.
Mr. W. Scott’s b. c. Carlton, by Catton Garbutt.
Mr. Watt’s b. f. Nitocris, by Whisker T. Nicholson.
Lord Langford’s b. c. Roué, by Starch T. Lye.
Mr. Beardsworth’s br. c. Ludlow, by Filho da Puta Wright.
Mr. Gully’s ch. c. Margrave, by Muley J. Robinson.
After the usual parading, the whole drew up together, and made a false
start—Ludlow, Physician, and Carlton staying behind, and all the others
going some distance before they could be pulled up. On re-assembling, a
most excellent and beautiful start was effected, the lot going away in a
cluster, with Mr. Powlett’s filly leading for about two hundred yards,
when Roué took it from her—Carlton, the filly, Physician, Nitocris,
Birdcatcher, Richmond, Trustee, Maria, Retainer, Julius, and Fang
following alongside in front, and the others well up, at one of the
worst Leger paces ever witnessed, and all keeping their ground over the
hill to the T. Y. C. post, when Mr. Pavis began to handle the whipcord
to Daxon, who was the first that exhibited defeat. The example, however,
was soon found to have plenty of imitators; for, before reaching the Red
House, Fang, Nitocris, Trustee, Carlton, Roué, and Brother to Maria,
fell away from the contest—Mr. Powlett’s mare coming round the corner
down to the rails with a very promising and flattering appearance,
followed closely by Birdcatcher, Physician, Retainer, and Richmond;
Margrave lying two or three lengths in the rear. On reaching the rails
Calloway came out with Birdcatcher, went up to the Figaro filly, at the
distance defeated her, and looked very much like a winner; but Robinson,
who had patiently waited, now crept up on the outside, making his ground
by a gradual steady advance. At the stand he caught the Birdcatcher, and
left him at the post in the rear by three-quarters of a length, amid the
deafening shouts of the lads “wot had put the siller on the back of
Muley’s son.” The Figaro filly ran in third, Physician (only beat by the
filly a head) fourth, Richmond fifth, Retainer sixth, and David
seventh—Ludlow, Fang, Byzantium, and Carlton landing the four _last_
horses of the race.