597.55(53.1) 39 



III 



The Goldfish and other Ornamental Fish of Japan 



HPHE goldfish or Kvngyo is supposed to have been introduced to 

 -*- Japan from China ; but the Japanese varieties, so far as I know, 

 differ greatly from those now found in China, so that the introduc- 

 tion of this pretty fish into Japan, if it really was introduced, must 

 have been effected in a very remote past. 



The goldfish is a favourite ornamental fish throughout the empire 

 of Japan. There are many large culture ponds in the warmer part 

 of the empire. Famous places for the culture of goldfish are Tokyo, 

 Osaka, and Koriyama. The most beautiful fancy fish may be found 

 in Tokyo and Osaka, usually in the aquaria of amateurs. Great 

 [tains is taken to select those which have beautiful colours, pretty or 

 singular forms, and graceful motion. Of course, differences of taste 

 govern the selection in different localities and in different times. 

 However the general principles of selection are fairly constant, and I 

 am inclined to believe that the taste of Osaka is always best. Now 

 I shall state the chief characters that qualify a fish to be regarded 

 as choice, and then shall give short descriptions of the principal 

 varieties of goldfish found in Japan. 



A choice fish should possess the following characters : — the lips, 

 nostrils, circumference of the eyes, operculum, and fins ought to have 

 colours, i.e., people wish to have fish the extreme parts of which are 

 all coloured, the remaining portions of the body may remain colour- 

 less ; but when small colour-spots are evenly distributed over the 

 body, when the hinder portion of the body is coloured, or when the 

 head is coloured, the fish is thought to be much more beautiful. As 

 for the colour of the fins the deeper it is the better. 



The fins ought to be large, delicate, but rather stiff, not falling 

 into folds like a withered flower. Moreover they ought not to pre- 

 vent the free locomotion of the fish. 



The caudal fin should be three-pointed, i.e., somewhat triangular 

 in shape or lozenge-shaped, not divided at the median line. It 

 should be well expanded and rather erect. The anal fin ought to 

 be laterally divided into two lateral equal portions. 



The movement must be graceful. A fish which cannot keep its 

 longitudinal axis of the body horizontal is considered inferior. The 

 body should be plump and have an outline of beautiful curves. And 

 the fish must be healthy. The fish represented in Figs. 1 and 2 are 

 very fine, while those represented in Figs. 3 and 4 are common 

 and inferior. 



The variety which is considered to be most graceful is known by 



