CHAPTER VI 



THE CARPS 



The majority of freshwater fishes found in the northern 

 climes of Europe, Asia and America belong to the carp 

 family. 



In our islands we find the carp itself, the tench, the 

 bream, and all the " white fishes," such as the roach, 

 rudd, chubb, and dace. 



The carp vary immensely in size and external appear- 

 ance. The huge mahaseer which has given sport to many 

 an Anglo-Indian in the rivers of Northern India is a carp, 

 so also is the homely minnow. 



The word " carp," however, usually conveys to our 

 minds a big bronze-coloured fish covered with large 

 scales, and possessing a leathery mouth which can be 

 shot out like a tube. 



When writing about the carp, it is usual to start 

 with historical allusions to his antiquity, always 

 bringing in Fontainebleau, Louis XIV., the Prince of 

 Conde, and the monks of old. The writer then 

 goes on to describe how to fish for him with rasp- 

 berries, cherries, peas and plums, pudding, cake, and 

 paste, the last prepared with or without worm juice, 

 according to the fancy of the angler and the carp. 

 But I propose to deal with him first as a sporting 



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