On the Prathay. 



Order IV. 

 PHYSOSTOMI. 



Family 

 CYPRINID^. 



^ARP. 



(Cyprinus carpio.) 



Kuprinos, 



Cyprinus, 



Carp, 



Cyprinus cirris quahior, 



Cyprinus carpio. 



Aristot., H. a., iv. 8 § 4; vi. 13 § 2; viii. 20 § 12. 

 Pliny, Nat. Hist. ix. 51; Gesner, De Aquatil., p. 309. 

 WiLLUGHBY, H. Pise. p. 245; Couch's Fish. Brit. Isles, vol. iv. p. 4. 

 Artedi, Syn. p. 25. 



Lin., Syst. Nat. i. p. 525; Donov.<^n, Brit. Fish. v. pi. no; Yarrell, i. 

 p. 349; Gunther's Cat. vol. vii. p. 25. 



Characters of the Genus Cyprinus. — "Scales large; dorsal fin long, with a more or less strong, serrated, osseous 

 ray; anal short. Snout rounded, obtuse; mouth anterior, rather narrow. Pharyngeal teeth 3. i. i — i. i. 3, molar-like. 

 Barbels four." — Gunther. 



nnHE Carp was known to Aristotle under the Greek name Kvjrpivo^. He speaks of it as a 

 -*- river fish without a tongue, but having a fleshy roof to its mouth ; as producing eggs 

 five or six times a year, especially under the influence of the stars ; as having eggs about 

 the size of millet seed; and as being occasionally struck by the dog-star when swimming near 

 the surface. Aristotle nowhere tells us whether the flesh of the Carp was used as food ; 

 Athenseus, however, speaks of it as excellent in the quality of its flesh, and quotes Dorion as 



