GOLDFISH AND THEIR CULTURE IN JAPAN. 385 
As to the order in which the different varieties of goldfish have been pro- 
duced in Japan, it is probable that the wakin stands first in priority, but in 
what order the others have come can not be definitely stated. The oranda 
shishigashira, however, is generally known to have been produced by crossing 
the ryukin with the ranchu at Koriyama, Yamato, in 1840. All the new 
varieties of recent times except the watonai, which comes first in order, were 
produced by Mr. Akiyama Kichigoro, a goldfish breeder in Tokyo. The 
latest produced varieties are the following three: 
“Shukin.”—In 1897 a new variety, having its own peculiarities, was 
produced by the following means: Oranda shishigashira, ten in number and 
3 years old, were crossed with ranchu equal in number and also of the same 
age. The cross thus made produced about 300 young fish, of which some were 
like the oranda shishigashira in form. There were 20 entirely without the 
dorsal fin; but in a large majority of the young there were some traces of the 
dorsal fin, one to three spines or something like knobs being discernible in its 
place. Those without any dorsal fin were then selected for breeding purposes, 
and in their offspring were still found some with traces of dorsal fin such as the 
spines and knobs mentioned above. This variety without the dorsal fin has 
been kept breeding up to the present; and being requested by the breeder to 
give it an appropriate name, I called it ‘‘shukin” (literally ‘‘autumn brocade’’). 
The adjective ‘‘shu” takes its rise in the breeder’s name, Akiyama (Chinese, 
Shu-zan, i. e., “autumn hill”), and the “kin” signifies “brocade,” the epithet 
being given on account of the beautiful bright color. (Pl. xxv.) 
““Shubunkin.’”-—The year 1900 first saw this new variety. The goldfish 
hitherto known in Japan having no such dapples as are found in the Chinese 
demekin, which is dappled in three or four colors, the breeder had wished to 
have a variety produced having the same dapples as the Chinese. Thus the 
males and females, each ten in number, of the demekin having the most 
attractive dapples were crossed with an equal number of the males and females 
of the wakin. The breeding fish selected were the demekin having black 
dapples on a vermilion red or purple ground and those speckled with red, white, 
black, and blue. Some of the offspring resembled the original Carassius auratus 
in form and had dapples like the demekin, while in some others the scales 
were not so conspicuous as is the case with the demekin. On the whole, 
however, those resembling the wakin were most numerous, while those 
similar to the demekin in form were very few; and the number of the cross 
the breeder had in view was only roo out of a total of 500. This new variety, 
to which I gave the name of ‘‘shubunkin” (“ vermilion red dappled with different 
hues”’), has since been kept breeding. Among its descendants some were of a 
vermilion color, dappled with black, some of a purple color all over the body 
B. B. F. 1908—25 
