THE CARP. 207 



Yarrell states that " carp are said to have been introduced 

 into Ireland in the reign of James I." 



Gilbert White, in his fortieth letter to Thomas Pennant, 

 September 2, 1774, says: " In the garden of the Black 

 Bear Inn, in the town of Reading, is a stream or canal 

 running under the stables and out into the fields on the 

 other side of true road. In this water are many carps, 

 which lie rolling about in sight, being fed by travellers 

 who amuse themselves by tossing them bread ; but as soon 

 as the weather grows at all severe these fishes are no 

 longer seen, because they retire under the stables, where 

 they remain till the return of spring. Do they lie in a 

 torpid state ? If they do not, how are they supported ? " 



Yarrell says they probably eat little or nothing during 

 winter, and are supposed to bury themselves in the mud. 

 Their food in summer consists of insects, worms, and the 

 softer parts of aquatic plants. They are said to be par- 

 ticularly partial to lettuce-leaves. 



Hepell says, that in winter, carp huddle together in the 

 mud in concentric circles, with their heads together. 



The carp is a very wary fish. Moses Browne remarks 

 that he is called the River- Fox. Izaak Walton says the 

 carp is " a stately, a good, and a subtle fish." Sometimes 

 it requires a considerable amount of patience to catch a 

 carp ; at others the fish will bite freely. The Rev. Thomas 

 Weaver, in his commendatory verses in the second edition 

 of " Walton's Complete Angler," has the following lines, 

 which were omitted in all the later editions : 



" And there the cunning carp you may 

 Beguile with paste ; if you'll but stay 

 And watch in time, you'll have your wish, 

 For paste and patience catch the fish." 



Carp grow to a great size and live to a great age. The 

 largest ever recorded is one mentioned by Brock, which 

 was taken near Frankfort-on-the-Oder, weighing 70 Ibs., 

 and being nine feet in length. Mrs. Garrick told Hawkins 

 that she had seen in Germany the head of a carp served 



