CYR 



age, when they become completely white. 

 The carp was classed by the ancients 

 among sea-fish ; it is, however, generally 

 found in ponds and rivers ; and now con- 

 sidered as a fresh-water-fish. For a va- 

 riety of this species, called the large-scal- 

 ed carp, see Pisces. Plate III. fig. 4. 



C. auratus, or gold-fish. This was in- 

 troduced into England at the close of the 

 17th century ; and, towards the middle of 

 the last, was become extremely common. 

 It exceeds in splendour all the other in- 

 habitants of the waters ; in the full grown 

 fish the prevailing colour is that of the 

 richest gold, accompanied by a tinge of 

 scarlet on the upper part, and of silver 

 on the lower. Its native spot is supposed 

 to be the province of Kiang in the south 

 of China, from which it has been convey- 

 ed to every part of that vast empire, be- 

 ing introduced into the gardens of the 

 opulent, and even into their apartments, 

 in vases of immense size, and the most ex- 

 quisite workmanship. It appears sensi- 

 ble to favours, and capable of attachment; 

 and by the sprightliness of its movements, 

 also as well as the unrivalled splendour of 

 its colours, is one of the most interesting 

 objects of care and attention to the ladies 

 of that country. In England it has now 

 long excited particular regard. It is fed 

 with small worms and fine bread, and oc- 

 casionally with the yolks of eggs dried 

 and pounded to powder; it breeds as 

 rapidly as the common carp ; a frequent 

 change of water is desirable for it, par- 

 ticularly in hot weather, and the vessel in 

 which it is kept should be considerably 

 open to the air. 



C. tinea, or the tench. This is found 

 in almost every country, and is sometimes 

 seen of the weight of eight, ten, and even 

 twenty pounds : its common length, how- 

 ever, is about twelve inches ; and its 

 scales, as numbered by some curious na- 

 turalists, to have amounted to thirty thou- 

 sand ; its favourite haunts are stagnant 

 waters, which have a soft and muddy 

 bottom, and under this it is supposed, by 

 many, to lie concealed and torpid during 

 the winter. The ancients considered it 

 as a fish fit only for vulgar tables, and in 

 Germany the same opinion is now preva- 

 lent; in England, however, it is consider- 

 ed as a delicacy. It differs much in quali- 

 ty, according to the situation it dwells in, 

 and the male fish is generally considered 

 as far superior to the female. The tench 

 resembles the carp in extraordinary te- 

 naciousnessoflife, as also in rapid growth 

 and extreme fecundity. 



C. jeses, the chub, is a fish frequently 

 to be met with in this country, but is ge- 



nerally much smaller here than in many 

 other parts of Europe, as it weighs in 

 Germany commonly from five to eight 

 pounds : it is strong and swift, and pre- 

 fers the most clear and rapid streams ; 

 it grows but slowly, and it is considered as 

 tasteless and coarse food. 



C. gobio, or gudgeon, abounds much in 

 the rivers of this country, particularly in 

 the Rennet and Cole, where it is also in 

 the highest perfection. Gudgeons very 

 rarely exceed a few ounces in weight : 

 they prefer small lakes and ge"ntly flow- 

 ing rivers, especially where there is a 

 gravelly bottom, to all other situations : 

 small worms and aquatic insects are their 

 food, and in quest of these they almost al- 

 ways remain at the bottom of the streams 

 where they reside : they are extremely 

 prolific, and highly admired for the ta- 

 ble : they do not deposit at once all their 

 spawn, but with considerable intervals, 

 so that the whole process continues for a 

 month. In some places of Germany the 

 lakes are most copiously stored with these 

 fish. 



C. phoxinus, or minnow, is frequent in 

 clear gravelly streams, and in England 

 appears first in March, and towards No- 

 vember shelters itself in the muddy or 

 gravelly bottom, remaining in this se- 

 creted, and, perhaps, in a torpid state, 

 during the winter : it is about three 

 inches in length ; and is one of the most 

 elegant of European fishes : it is grega- 

 rious, and though but seldom used for 

 food on account of its minute size, is re- 

 garded as a very delicate fish : it is fre- 

 quently employed as bait for trout and 

 other comparatively large fishes, known 

 to prey Upon them with great avidity. 



CYPRIPEDIUM, in botany, English 

 ladies' slipper, a genus of the Gynandria 

 Diandria class and order. Natural order 

 of Orchidese. Essential character : nec- 

 tary ventricose, inflated, hollow. There 

 are five species. 



CYRILLA, in botany, so named in ho- 

 nour of Dominico Cyrillo, a genus of the 

 Didynamia Angiospermia class and order. 

 Natural order of Personatae. Essential 

 character: calyx superior, five-leaved ; 

 linear lanceolate ; corolla declined, fun- 

 nel form ; tube cylindric, gibbous on its 

 lower edge ; throat tricallous ; segments 

 roundish, the three lower more pro- 

 duced ; filaments inserted into the mar- 

 gin of the corolla, incurved, with a fifth 

 barren; anthers cohering; germ infe- 

 rior, half emerging, with a nectareous 

 lid ; style bent down ; stigma two-lobed ; 

 capsule half two-celled, with two parted 

 receptacles ; seeds numerous. There is 



