52 MALACOP. ABDOM. CARP FAMILY. 



(Sp. 98.) C. auratus. The Gold Carp. 



" Type of ike sunny human breast 

 Is your transparent cell, 



No sullen humours dwell; 

 Wltere, sensitive of every ray 



That smites this tiny sea, 

 Your scaly panoplies repay 



The loan with usury." WORDSWORTH. 



These splendid and beautiful Carps, better known 

 in these countries by the name of Gold and Silver 

 fishes, are stated to have been originally natives 

 of a mountain lake in the province of Tche Kiang, 

 about the 30 of N. latitude. Hence they spread 

 through the other provinces of China, Japan, and 

 the neighbouring countries. By the Dutch they were 

 carried into Batavia ; by the French, to the Mauri- 

 tias; the Portuguese navigators early introduced them 

 into their native land, where perhaps they are more 

 abundant than in any other country of Europe. In 

 these congenial haunts, whether native streams or 

 artificial ponds, they are said to attain a considerable 

 size, and to be very long-lived. M. Van Braam 

 informed Dr. Shaw, that during his stay at a town 

 near Pekin, he was shown several in a pool, of which 

 the smallest was fifteen inches long, and the others 

 a good deal larger, reaching, according to Du Halde, 

 the size of our largest herrings : here too they are 

 frequently served up as food. In our colder climates, 

 the size they attain is much more limited; Mr. 

 Yarrell stating that he had never seen a specimen 

 exceeding ten inches in length. 



