THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE GROUP. 377 



prefer shady, sluggish water with muddy bottoms, where they feed voraciously 

 on small water animals and vegetable matter, particularly the leaves of 

 aquatic jjlaiits. The common carp is closely related to the goldfish and was 

 originally a native of the rivers of China, where it has long been artificially 

 reared by the inhabitants. Prom there it was introduced into Europe, perhaps 

 three centuries ago, and has since become naturalized and .several varieties 

 produced in domestication. From Europe carp were introduced into America, 

 and from America they were brought to HaAvaii. thus completing their journey 

 around the globe. They attain a size of several pounds and may be identified 

 as the only scaled fresh-water fish in Hawaii that have barbules on the upper 

 lip. A single specimen has been known to produce as manj- as seven hundred 

 thousand eggs in a single season. 



Catfish. 



The common bullhead catfish, or horned pout,-' was introduced about 

 twenty years ago from California, where it had been naturalized, and was 

 planted in ponds about Hilo, but it has not been seen since. In the meantime 

 it has been introdi;ced on the Island of Oahu, where it has been secured 

 from the same ponds with the Chinese species. The Chinese catfish * was 

 introduced by the Chinese about a dozen years ago from their country. It has 

 survived and is becoming quite common in the fresh-water ponds and finds its 

 way to the markets, where it is sold under the name of Chinese catfish. 



Since both species occur about Honolulu in the same environment, it will 

 be well to know that the Chinese species have the dorsal and anal fins much 

 elongated, each with many rays, and extending throughout the greater length 

 of the trunk, while in the bullhead the dorsal and anal are much shorter, the 

 dorsal with one hard and seven soft rays. 



Chin.v Pish. 



Easily mistaken for the Chinese catfish in the water, is the "China fish,"-' 

 which in reality is a snake-head mullet. They are long and cylindrical, and 

 the head is covered with scales. They are carnivorous and voracious in habit, 

 and are extremely tenacious of life, living for hours out of water when thrown 

 on the banks of the irrigation ditches or when carried to market. Dr. A. Giinther 

 states that they are able to survive drouth by living in the semi-fluid mud or 

 lying in a semi-torpid state below the hard sun-baked crust of the bottom of a 

 tank from which every drop of water has disappeared. 



Black Bass. 



The first attempt to establish black bass dates from the summer of 1897, 

 when a shipment was made from the California Fish Commission to a number 

 of citizens at Hilo. Unfortunately, only twenty-one of these elegant sun fishes 

 survived the journey. These were planted in Wailuku river near Rainbow 



'■Ophu-ciihiihis ttriiilu 



