454 SUPPLEMENT ON 



and tail together, and then suddenly letting go this sort of 

 circular spring. 



Their fecundity is truly astonishing: on this account the 

 ancient Greeks consecrated them to Venus, as their name, 

 Kvirpivog sufficiently indicates. It appears that from the third 

 year they are in a state to re-produce, and that the number of 

 their eggs increases with their age. Bloch found 237,000 in 

 a female weighing a pound ; Petit 342,144 in a female of a 

 pound and a half; Bloch, again, 621,600 in one of nine 

 pounds ; and Schneider 700,000 in one of ten pounds, whose 

 ovaria alone weighed three pounds ten ounces. 



As is in general the case with the most prolific animals, the 

 greatest portion of the spawn of the carp is often devoured 

 by other fish. The little ones themselves are exposed to a 

 multitude of dangers ; but at the age of three years they have 

 no enemies to dread but the larger pikes and the otters. Thus 

 we find that so great a quantity of eggs produces in reality 

 but an ordinary number of fishes. But of all fresh-water fish 

 it would appear that the carp grows the most rapidly ; at the 

 end of six years a carp in general weighs about three pounds, 

 at ten from six to eight. 



The milt of the males is of a nature not less remarkable 

 than the ovary of the females ; M. Kenard, who has carefully 

 analyzed it, considers it of a nature altogether particular. It 

 is not only formed of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and azote, 

 like other animal substances, it contains besides some phos- 

 phorus, which was discovered by MM. Fourcroy and Vau- 

 quelin. 



Man, with whom the flesh of the carp is an aliment in high 

 estimation, has contrived to rear this fish in a sort of domestic 

 state, and thus to procure it as often as he desires. He has 

 not been contented, however, to place the carps in ponds 

 where he may have them at his disposal, he has also con- 

 reived the notion of castrating them, both males and females, 



