BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 219 



the town of Dinkclsbiihl. It is called "orfe" by the country people, 

 and Linna'us and most of the following writers mention it under the 

 name of Cyprinus or/us. Being one of the ichthyological curiosities of 

 the country, it did not escape the notice of the observant VVillughby, 

 ^vho says, in his "Historia Piscium" (Oxon.fol. l(».SG),p.253: "At Augs- 

 burg we saw a most beautiful fish, which they call the 'root oerve' (red 

 orfe), from its vermilion color, like that of a pippin ai)ple, with which 

 the whole body is covered, except the lower side, which is white." He 

 gives a characteristic figure of the fish (tab. L, 9), and expresses a doubt 

 whether the color is natural or rather the product of some artificial 

 manipulation. 



The orfe, however, is as natural and as permanent a variety as the 

 goldfish, which latter, in its original wild state, in the fresh waters of 

 China, has no bright golden colors, being scarcely distinguishable from 

 the Prussian carp in this respect ; in fact, the bright coloration of these 

 fishes is nothing more nor less than the sign of incipient albinism, and 

 has been observed also in other fishes, more especially- in the tench (in 

 which it is perpetuated by culture), and more rarely in the cod-fish, 

 haddock, common sole, turbot, and eel. Perfect albinism, or total 

 absence of a coloring pigment, appears to be very rare in fishes; indeed, 

 we know of only one species in which white individuals sometimes occur, 

 viz, the goldfish. Analogous cases of a similar modification of the 

 pigment are the common yellow varieties of the canary-bird, light- 

 cohu'ed moles and mice, and many other mammalian albinos whose 

 white hairs are tipped with yellow, producing a distinctly yellow tinge 

 over the whole fur. 



We introduce this fish to the notice of the readers of The Field because 

 we have been informed that Lord Arthur Russell has succeeded in intro- 

 ducing it into England. He had already made an attempt last year to 

 obtain living specimens from Germany, but only two examples survived 

 the journey. Taking advantage of the experience then obtained, and 

 favored by the unusually low temp.'rature of the second week of the 

 present month, he had the gratification of receiving 112 specimens with- 

 out a single death during the journey. They were dispatched from 

 Wiesbaden, under the care of a man who arrived in London after a jour- 

 ney of only 25 hours. Next day the fish were safely deposited in a lake 

 at Woburn Abbey. 



We have no doubt that Lord Arthur Russell's experiment will prove 

 to be a permanent success. We have always held that the chances of 

 success in introducing a foreign animal are ]>articularly great, if such 

 an animal has been kept in a more or less domesticated condition in its 

 native country. This is the case with the orfe. As an ornamental fish 

 it is far preferable to the goldfish, on account of its rapid rei)roduction, 

 larger size, and livelier habits. It takes the bait, and on the continent 

 it is eaten. In very small tanks or muddy ponds the goldfish will always 

 hold its ground, but for larger ponds and lakes with clear water we 

 know of no more ornamental fish than the orfe. 



