
HISTORY AND ANATOMY OF THE GOLDFISH 

The researches of both the author and of his friends leads to the belief 
that all the descriptions of the toy varieties of the goldfish, subsequent to 
1780, and many of those which still pass current, are based upon a 
monograph and series of colored plates published in Paris in 1780. The 
constant recurrence of allusions and reference to this work and the almost 
identical phraseology in describing the fishes, would indicate that the first 
and probably only authentic information of the goldfishes of China was 
this monograph which the Manual du Libraire mentioned as the “ Histoire 
Naturelle des Dorades de la Chine, par de Sauvigny; gravee par M. F. 
N. Martinet, accompagnée d’ observations. __ Paris, 1780, gr. in-fol. col.” 
and briefly states “There appeared but 24 pages with the frontispiece 
and 48 colored plates.” ‘These represent seven distinct breeds and eighty- 
eight varieties of Chinese goldfishes painted from nature by Panzy-Mis- 
sionaire and sent to the French Minister of State, N. Bertin, in 1772. 
Most diligent search and extensive inquiry failed to produce any further 
information of these most important documents, of which no copy then 
existed in any library in the United States, nor are they mentioned in the 
catalogues of the libraries of Europe; but in March 1904, through the 
instrumentality of the author, probably the only known copy was acquired 
by the Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia. 
In Historie Naturelle des Poissons, 1803,de Lacépede describes and illus- 
trates three goldfishes. One of these he named Cyprin Anne-caroline. 
It has the head and body of the common goldfish, a long, low, 17-spined 
dorsal fin, extending over the back almost to the base of the tail, narrow 
paired fins, a single anal fin and the short caudal fin of the common gold- 
fish, but deeply bifurcated. It has a brilliant gold and silver color on 
the head, back and side and yellow fins. The back is overlaid with streaks 
and spots of metallic black. The second illustration shows a scaled, 
slightly telescopic-eyed fish, with rather long body, fins like the common 
goldfish, but having a distinctly double tail, deeply bifurcated. ‘This he 
calls Cyprin Gros-yeux. The third illustration shows a fish similar to the 
second, with a shorter dorsal fin and a broader double tail. The eyes are 
like those of the common goldfish. This he calls Cyprin Quatre-lobes. 
In the Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, 1842, by M. le B. Cuvier and 
M. A. Valenciennes, the following descriptions of Chinese goldfishes are 
given, which appear to be largely taken from the writings of de Sauvigny 
and de Lacépede:— 
The Ya-Tan-Yu or Duck Eggs, so called because of their shortened form and swollen 
middle. It appears from the drawings that the most of the individuals lack a dorsal fin, have 
two anals and four-lobed caudal fins. This variety usually remains on the bottom of the water 
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