CHAPTER X. 



THE CARNATIC CARP. 



' Kara milii et rigui placeant in vallibus amines, 

 Flumina amem silvasque inglorius." — 



Viegil. Gi:oegio II, line 85-6. 



May I have the pleasure of introducing to you a new Mend, 

 Barb 1 1 * ('iiniii/icus (Jerdon). In view to your being better 

 acquainted, suppose we stand on no ceremony, and anglicise the 

 name into the Carnatic Carp. 



I must be pardoned this little liberty with his patronimic, for 

 the reasons set forth below. 



The Carnatic Carp, let me tell you, is not at all a bad fellow. 

 He is not to be set aside lightly as if he was a mere carp, like the 

 fish (Cyprinus Carpio) commonly known by that name in England. 

 He is much more like the mighty Mahseer, the king of carps; 

 indeed, he has been frequently mistaken for a Mahseer, and it is 

 for that very reason that 1 must lay stress on not allowing that he 

 ought properly to be called a Mahseer. That word Mahseer lias 

 heei) too olastically used by fishermen. They have made it cover 

 almost an\ big Carp. It should, at least, not include any that have 

 not large mouths. Still, though I cannot concede that Barbus 

 CamMwus is properly a Mahseer, I ask for him a sort of brevet rank, 

 by which, though a carp, he may be promoted above the level of the 

 common English carp known to our school-boy days. The Indian 

 carps, mind you, are very different from those in England. The 

 Indian Carps run, in the Mahseer, up to 200 lbs., as the Indian 

 cats do to tigers, and ferns to trees, (Alsqphila latibrosa, b tree 

 fern). Viewed thus in its proper light, ii is no disgrace to be 

 a Carnatic Carp, and his acquaintance is worth your cultivating, 

 He runs to 25 lbs., and takes a fly. 



My objection to bis being called a Mahseer lies, as I have 

 aid, in his mouth, and my reason for urging it is that the smaller 



