VII.-THE CARP AND ITS CUULTUE liN RIVERS AND LAKES: 

 AND ITS INTRODUCTION IN AMERICA. 



BY RUDOLPH HESSEL. 

 7t 



A— INTRODUCTION. 



The present article is intended to give a brief description of the vreli- 

 known carp of Europe, its nature, way of living, its ratio of natural and 

 artificial increase in open waters, rivers, and lakes, the most approved 

 methods of its culture, and the proper construction of ponds and breed- 

 ing establishments. An additional object iu view is to draw attention 

 to the introduction into the United States of this valuable fish, as spe- 

 cially adapted to its needs. 



B— THE EACES OF CARP— THEIK HISTORY AND HABITS. 

 1. — The species and varieties. 



The carp, Cyprinus carpio, of the family Gyprinidce^ has a toothless 

 mouth, thick lips, and four barbels on the upper jaw. In place of the 

 usual teeth of the mouth there are a number of stout teeth on the 

 pharyngeal bones, which are arranged in three rows. It has one single 

 dorsal, which is longer than the anal. Both these fins have at their 

 origin, on the anterior edge, a strong ray, which is serrated in a down- 

 ward direction. The caudal is of semi-circular shape, and the natatory 

 bladder is divided into two sections, with connecting air-passage. The 

 scales have an entire edge, and the body is compressed on the sides. 

 The general color of the back and sides is a dark olive-brown, the abdo- 

 men often of a whitish-yellow or orange tint. The coloring depends, as 

 with all fishes, partly upon the age and season, partly upon the water, 

 the soil, and also upon the food of the fish. 



Be it remarked that the carp, which has occasionally been compared 

 to the buffalo-fish, has no resemblance to it, with the exception of the 

 similarity of their coat of scales ; neither does the flesh of the buffalo- 

 fish ever come up to the excellence of that of the carp. 



The carp was, in all probability, originally introduced into Europe 

 from Central Asia manv centuries ago, and is now common in most of 



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