Vol. hi. 



OCTOBER, 1893. 



Copyright 1893. All Rights Reserved. 



No. 29. 



DENOMINATIVE CHARACTERIS- 

 TICS OF FRESH WATER 

 FISHES. 



III. 

 THE CARP-LIKE FISHES. 



{Cyprinidae.) 



This family of fishes is distributed 

 pretty much all over the globe and com- 

 prises some very choice and valuable 

 species, that are highly prized for the 

 purposes of the table. 



The family is characterized by the 

 naked head, the body being covered 

 with scales, the toothless mouth and 

 well developed lips, the dorsal fin soft, 

 and the air bladder large and divided, 

 something like an hour-glass. Some 

 species are supplied witli barbies, 

 though their existence is not a domi- 

 nant feature of the family. The cypri- 

 nidae unlike the salmonidae, possess 

 no adipose fin. The spawning season 

 occurs during the spring and summer 

 months, just as the circumstances of the 

 locality may be, and they belong there- 

 fore to the great division of summer 

 spawners. The eggs are deposited 

 against aquatic plants or other material 



in the water ; they are adhesive and 

 stick to the object until hatched, which 

 I'equires from three to twelve days, ac- 

 cording to temperature and difference 

 of species. 



The leading species are as follows : 



THE SCALE OR NOBLE CARP. 



(Cyjjrinus carpio.) 

 Der Edelkarpfen. Le Carpe. 



The body of this fish is stout and 

 elongated, the sides being compressed. 

 The head is small and supplied with 

 well developed lips, the upper of which 

 carries two pairs of barbies, the one near 

 the corners of the mouth being much 

 larger than the other. As stated above 

 in the general remarks, the mouth is 

 toothless, though the fish is provided 

 with masticating organs. These or- 

 gans are situated far back in the phar- 

 ynx or throat and consist of pharyn- 

 geal bones armed with teeth. These 

 bones are operated by appropriate mus- 

 cles which give to them a motion like 

 that of the jaws opening and closing 

 during the act of chewing. The action 

 may be illustrated by spreading the 

 fingers of the two hands and moving 



