244 



PISCES 



The chubs, horned dace and carp belong to the family Cyprinidae. 

 The German carp is a fish introduced to America in 1872, and now 

 plentiful. It is not well flavored and is probably injurious to other 

 fishes, as well as active in keeping down vegetation ordinarily fed 

 upon by ducks. Gold-fish, Cyprinida, bred for centuries by the 

 Japanese, have been developed into beautiful forms. 



Fig. 123. Bull head. 



(From L. A. Fuertes. Courtesy of Slingerland-Comstock 

 Publishing Co.) 



The suckers {Castastomidae) are fresh-water fishes with long 

 protractile mouths. Mullets are relatives. 



The common herring {Clupeidae) is said to be one of the most 

 important food fishes. Slight differences in temperature have a 

 great influence on the appearance of the shoals of these fish along 

 our coast. 



There are six species of cave-fishes {Amblyopsidae) in the sub- 

 terranean streams of Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana. They have 

 been studied most by Dr. Eigenmann of Indiana University. The 

 eyes are reduced. Loeb has found that some fish eggs develop 

 without eyes if kept in the dark (Neo-Lamarckism, page 514). 



Fig. 124. Atlantic flying fish. (From Nichols and Breder.) 



T\iQ. flying fishes {Exocoeiidae) (Figure 124) have the power to 

 plane along above the surface of the water. As in other fishes the 

 tail gives a great initial impetus. It is said that they can " fly " 

 two hundred yards. 



