THE LOOKING-GLASS, OR SPEIGEL CARP. 361 



in charge of one of the clerks of the association, and, 

 favoured by the cold weather, they were all deposited, 

 without a single loss, in one of the Duke of Bedford's 

 ponds at Woburn Abbey." 



This beautiful fish grows to the weight of 3lbs. There 

 is a fine coloured figure of the golden orfe in " Blochs," 

 vol. iii. p. 9G. 



In former times, before the arrival in Europe, to- 

 wards the end of the last century, of the Chinese gold- 

 fish, the gardens and fountains of the little princes of 

 the Holy Koman Empire were enlivened by golden 

 tench and the red variety of Cyprinus Orfus, called by 

 the Germans gold orfe. 



to' 



SPEIGEL CARP. 



Local names : Cyprinus Specularis, Cyprinus rex Cyprinorum, 

 Speigel Karpsm. German : Der Lcder Karpfen. French ; 

 Carpe armiroir ; also Rene de Carpe, Carpe Acuir, Carpe a 

 Grand EcaiUes. 



In March, 1873, Lord Arthur Eussell was kind enough 

 to bring me up three grand specimens of the looking- 

 glass carp, most worthily called Cijprinus rex Cyprinorum. 

 Sixteen Speigel Carp had been sent alive to his brother, 

 Lord Odo Kussell, by Count Maltzan, wdio lives in 

 Silesia. The three fish which had died in transit 

 weighed 61bs., 5Ubs., and 6lbs. 2oz., and measured from 

 19in. to 22in. The greater part of the body of this fish 

 is of the usual carp colour and is quite soft like wash- 

 leather, there being no scales whatever upon it ; along 

 the central line on each side of the fish there is a row 

 of very large scales, some being two inches across, some 

 not larger than a sixpence. These are of a golden 

 colom-, tinted with opal. Altogether they are not unlike 

 the peacock feather. 



