CYrRIN^US — THE CARP 105 



strong posteriorly serrated spine; dorsal rays 17 to 21, the base of the fin 

 longer than the head, the spine and first three rays higher than the posterior 

 part of the fin, as in the buffaloes, insertion of dorsal slightly in front of ven- 

 trals: anal rays 5 or 6; pectorals reaching nearly to front of ventrals, 1.3 to 

 1.5 in head; ventrals scarcely % to vent. Scales 5 or 6, 35 to 37, 5 or 6; lateral 

 line continuous, usually somewhat flexuose. 



The above description is based on specimens of scale-carp 

 only; the mirror and leather varieties, differing from the scaled 

 forms chiefly in the squamation, are comparatively rare in the 

 waters of this state. 



The carp, which is native in China, was introduced into 

 Europe as early as 1227 (Hessel), and was first brought to 

 England at the beginning of the sixteenth century. The first 

 successful introduction of carp into the United States was made 

 in 1877, when R. Hessel, for the U. S. Fish Commission, brought 

 345 carp to this country. Of these, 227 were of the mirror and 

 leather varieties, and 118 were scale-carp. All were put into 

 ponds at Washington, D. C, and multiplied rapidly, more than 

 12,000 young being distributed in 1879 to more than 300 persons 

 in 25 states and territories. From that time distribution rapidly 

 increased until a few years before its final discontinuance in 1897. 



The introduction of carp into the waters of Illinois began 

 with the first distribution (1879), and in 1880 scaled carp to the 

 number of 800 were received from the U. S. Fish Commission. 

 In 1881 and 1882 a total of 2,500 more carp were received and 

 distributed by the Illinois Fish Commission, the distribution 

 being mostly made in lots of only ten to a single person. In 

 1885 the first carp were planted in public waters, a total of 

 30,900 being set free in the Illinois, Fox, Sangamon, Des Plaines, 

 Kaskaskia, Little Wabash, Big Muddy, and a few other streams. 

 In 1886 the first large carp was caught in the Illinois River, a 

 specimen 30 inches long being taken at Meredosia — probably 

 escaped from some pond which had received a consignment 

 from one of the early distributions. In 1887 about 16,000, more 

 carp were planted in the public waters of the state. Between 

 1888 and 1890 reports of the capture of carp of considerable 

 size increased in number, particularly from points along the 

 Illinois River, and by 1892 this fish had multiplied to such an 

 extent in the waters about Havana that more than 3,000 lb 

 were taken from Clear Lake in a single haul. A year earlier 

 Bowles had begun to ship carp from Meredosia. By 1898 the 

 multiplication and utilization of carp had increased to such an 



—16 F 



