TKOPICAL AQUAEIUM FISHES 31 



Fishes of this general division are divided into two color classes — 

 plain scaleless and calico. The plain scaleless is red, white or a combina- 

 tion of the two. Red in scaleless fishes is quite different from that in 

 scaled varieties, being more of an ox-blood color, producing a highly 

 refined appearance. In scaleless fishes the bodies do not have a metallic 

 lustre. The colors seem as though they had been laid on by the delicate 

 hand of a water-color artist. These fishes have white fins. During the 

 first few months the roots of the tails are usually dark, but this gradually 

 disappears. 



The Calico Telescope is the consideration of first importance, not only 

 in this group, but among all fancy goldfishes in America. Its name is 

 suggestive of its coloring, but the colors are by no means in geometrical 

 arrangement, as they are in the fabric. Red, yellow, brown, gray, black, 

 blue and lavender are laid in fantastic blotches and spots over the body, 

 usually on a lighter background. Many small dots of black are sprinkled 

 over the body and fins. In extra fine specimens red dots will also appear 

 in the fins. The color chiefly sought is blue, and the more blue, the more 

 valued the fish. Probably every American breeder of scaleless telescopes 

 has an ambition to breed a solid blue fish with high-class body and fins. 

 A few solid blues have been produced, but the other required points were 

 woefully lacking. Calico Telescopes of the higher order seldom find their 

 w-ay into the pet shop, the price effectively keeping them out. This is 

 true of most of the finer fishes. Public taste in these matters is not suffi- 

 ciently educated to warrant dealers in taking the risk of carrying the more 

 highly developed, and therefore more delicate, specimens in stock. It 

 must be noted, however, that the past few years has witnessed a gratifying 

 development of general interest in the better aquaria and fancy fishes of 

 all kinds. 



THE SCALELESS VEILTAIL TELESCOPE 



While it is true that some of the early Chinese scaleless importations 

 had broad tails and medium length bodies, it is highly probable that none 

 of them equaled in short bodies and long fins the present American stand- 

 ard type. We crossed Japanese Fringetails wnth scaleless Chinese Tele- 

 scopes, thereby producing two new varieties which have become permanent 

 — Scaleless Japanese Fringetails and Scaleless Veiltail Telescopes. Both 

 have been bred for broad-tail qualities (veiltail), and may be considered 

 an American variation. The characteristic points of the .Scaleless Veil- 

 tail Telescopes are the same as those for the body and fin formation of the 

 Japanese Fringetail and the eyes and coloring of the Chinese Telescope. 

 The coloring almost always tried for is calico, but if a fish fails in this and 



