CYPRINUS.J PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. 403 



Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 364. pi. 72. no. 171. Bowd. Brit. fr. wat. 

 Fish. Draw. no. 23. Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 311. Gibele, Penn. Brit. 

 Zool. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 480. pi. 83. La Gibele, Cuv. Reg. An. 

 torn. ii. p. 271. 



LENGTH. From ten to twelve inches, or more. 



DESCRIPT. (Farm.) Back moderately elevated, the dorsal line more convex 

 than the ventral : greatest depth one-third of the entire length : head about one- 

 fifth : profile falling very regularly, and forming one continuous curve with the 

 line of the back : snout short, and rather obtuse ; jaws nearly equal, the lower one 

 a little the longest when the mouth is open ; gape rather small : eyes small : opercle 

 marked with radiating striae : lateral line descending in a gentle curve a little 

 below the middle : scales large ; number in the lateral line thirty-four ; in the 

 depth twelve, six and a half above, and five and a half below, the lateral line : 

 dorsal much as in the last species ; the first two rays bony ; the first very short ; 

 the second strong and serrated, but the serratures very fine compared with those of 

 the same ray in the Carp : anal short, also with the first two rays bony ; the first 

 extremely short ; this fin terminating a little beyond the termination of the dorsal : 

 caudal forked ; the depth of the fork about one-third of its length : pectorals and 

 ventrals much as in the Carp ; the latter nearly in a line with the second bony ray 

 of the dorsal. 



D. 2/18 ; A. 2/7 ; C. 19, and some short; P. 14 ; V. 9. 



Number of vertebras (according to Mr. Yarrell) thirty. (Colours.) Back, and 

 sides above the lateral line, olive-brown ; lower part of the sides yellow, becoming 

 paler on the belly ; the whole tinged with a bright golden lustre : irides golden : 

 cheeks and gill-covers bright golden yellow : dorsal fin olivaceous ; caudal the 

 same, tinged with orange-yellow ; anal, pectorals, and ventrals, bright orange- 

 red. 



Supposed to be a naturalized species in this country, but not exactly known when 

 it was introduced. Found in some of the ponds about London, as well as in other 

 parts of England. Usual weight about half a pound : has been known, however, 

 to weigh upwards of two pounds. Said to spawn in April or May. Food, aquatic 

 plants and worms. Is very tenacious of life. 



(15.) C. Carassius, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 526. Bloch, Ichth. 

 pi. 11. Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 108. Le Carreau ou Carrassin, 

 Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 271. 



Mr. Yarrell has reason to believe that he has more than once received 

 this species from the Thames. Its claims, however, to a place in the 

 British Fauna are not fully established. By Turton, it was probably con- 

 founded with the C. Gibelio, from which it may be distinguished by the 

 Greater depth of the body, straight lateral line, and nearly even caudal, 

 t has also more rays in the dorsal and anal fins. 



* 82. C. auratus, Linn. (Golden Carp.) Caudal deeply forked; 

 sometimes three or four lobed. 



C. auratus, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 527. Bloch, Ichth. pis. 93, & 94. 

 Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 108. Flem. Brit. An. p. 185. Gold-Fish, Penn. 

 Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 374. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 490. Gold Carp, 

 Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 315. La Dorade de la Chine, Cuv. Reg. An. 

 torn. ii. p. 272. 



LENGTH. Seldom exceeds eight or ten inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) General form resembling that of the Carp: head short; 

 jaws equal; eyes large; nostrils tubular, placed near the eyes: body covered with 

 large scales: lateral line straight, near the back: fins extremely variable in form 

 and size, as well as in the number of the rays : dorsal often very small ; sometimes 

 entirely wanting, or represented by a simple elevation on the ridge of the back : 

 anal often double : caudal large, sometimes enormously developed ; deeply forked, 

 or divided into three or more lobes. (Colours.) Black during the first year ; after- 

 wards mottled with silver ; this last colour continually spreading till it occupies 



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