THE AQUARIUM, APlilL, 1896. 



45 



ferent tanks, who enjoy to suck at the 

 end of the little finger of our hand 

 when it is held in the water for that pur- 

 pose. Nearly every one of the tench 

 that we have had in our collection 

 would allow us to stroke the sides of its 

 body after the fashion in which one 

 would fondle a dog or cat. 



The Common Tench (Tinea vulgaris). 



by the monks, who were in those days 

 the j)rincipal fish culturists. It was 

 asserted by them that when any fish had 

 been externally injured by some acci- 

 dent, it would seek to find a tench, and, 

 when found, would rub the injured 

 part against the body of that fish, with 

 the supposed intention of re-covering 

 the injured part with slime to prevent 



of which the Golden Tench is an 

 ornamental variety, is a native of 

 Germany. It has been cultivated- in 

 ponds and the moats of castles in that 

 country for many centuries, and at the 

 present day it is one of the most sal- 

 able fresh-water fishes, being in con- 

 stant demand for the table. During 

 the middle ages the tench was called 

 the " fish-physician " (Fisch Doctor) 



the formation of fungus. We have not 

 been able to prove or disprove this 

 belief, but it seems plausible to us. 

 Fungus, which in most cases proves 

 fatal to specimens attacked by it, will 

 form on such parts of the fish's body, 

 from which the protecting slime has 

 been rubbed off. As we protect our 

 furniture or other articles with a coat 

 of varnish against the injurious influ- 



