542 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



is called the carp and sold as such in the New Yoi-k market. I have not yet, how- 

 ever, been able to find a single fish among tb.ose sold as carp which is really any 

 other than the common gold-fish, reverted to its original normal condition. Indeed, 

 in the olivaceous fish caught in great numbers in the Hudson there are usually found 

 preciseh^ similar specimens of white, red, and all intermediate conditions. While, 

 therefore, I can not say that no genuine carp were transferred to the Hudson, none 

 have come under my observation; and it has occurred to me as possible that the 

 Prussian carp, Cyprmuft carassivs, L., may have been the one introduced, or i^ossibly 

 the hybrid progeny of this and the true carp may have been gradually mixed with 

 the gold-fish. 



If we could know whether the description g-iyen b}' De Kay (1842, 

 p. 188) "was made b}^ him from specimens taken in New York, or 

 vdiether he merel}'^ copied what he gives from some European writer, 

 we might be able to throw some light on this subject. Certain it is 

 that his description disagrees in a number of points with that of the 

 true Ci/prinus carpio^ but it is apparent that some of these are inac- 

 curacies, as the}^ do not agree either with the Prussian (or crucian) 

 carp or with the hybrid, the so-called Cyprmu-s Iwllarii. The most 

 important points in this connection are, perhaps, that he gives the 

 length as 6 to 12 inches, and describes the "nape and back" as "ris- 

 ing suddenly." True carp in the second or third year, under ordi- 

 nary conditions, should attain a length of more than 6 to 12 inches, 

 while the hybrid rarel}" exceeds 8 inches in length (Seeley, 188C, p. 

 104). It is noteworthy, too, that Captain Robinson in his letter to 

 De Kay (p. 540) states that his fish grew quickly, reaching 3 or 4 

 inches the first year, but after that time their growth was very slow, 

 while the largest he had taken from his pond did not exceed 10 or 11 

 inches. He adds, however, that those subsequently taken from the 

 river were larger than those in his ponds. 



Even more significant, it seems to me, however, is the statement 

 that the nape and back rise suddenl}^, for though this may be in some 

 of the more highlj^ cultivated races of carp, it is not usually the case, 

 especially when they have bred out of the confinement of ponds for a 

 time, where no artificial selection is made. On the other hand, the 

 description forcibly suggests the broad shape of the hybrid mentioned, 

 w^hich in outline approaches the crucian or Prussian carp, Carassius 

 vulgaris. That this last is not the fish meant by De Kay is shown by 

 his statement that the fish has four barbels. 



As matters stand, we shall probably never know whether the fish 

 brought over by Captain Robinson were true carp or whether he hap- 

 pened when procuring the fish in France to get hold of specimens of 

 the hybrid form, which occurs in abundance in many parts of Europe. 

 It makes little difference which they were, however, since the com- 

 paratively little stock in the fresh waters of southeastern New York 

 could have little influence on the multitude of fish, from a new impor- 

 tation, which was spread broadcast over the countr}' a few years later. 



