24 Guide to the British Fresh- Water Fishes 



fresh-water fishes, presented by J. A. Milne, Esq., are shown in a 

 frame below that illustrating the scales of the Salmonidae. The 

 C}^rinoid scales differ in detail, but all show concentric ridges 

 and radiating grooves (fig. 15), as do the scales of the Pleuro- 

 nectidae and Percidae ; in the last named the free edge of the 

 scale is studded with little denticles ; in the Salmonidae and 

 Gadidae the grooves are absent ; and in the Clupeidae both ridges 

 and grooves tend to become transverse. 



The British Cyprinoids are more or less gregarious, and in the 

 spring or early summer, when they breed, they crowd together on 

 the shallows. The majority are found in lakes or ponds as well as 

 in rivers, but some, such as Carp, Tench, Rudd and Bream, prefer 

 still or slow-running water, w^hilst others, such as the Dace, 

 frequent the swifter streams. They feed on a mixed diet of weeds, 

 insect larvae, small Crustacea, insects, etc., and the Chub may 

 even eat small fishes. 



The British Cyprinidae may be grouped as follows : — 



I. Dorsal fin long ; anal fin short. Carp, Crucian Carp. 



II. Dorsal fin short ; anal fin short. Barbel, Gudgeon, Tench, 

 Minnow, Chub, Dace, Eoach, Eudd. 



III. Dorsal fin short; anal fin long. Bream, White Bream, 

 Bleak. 



37, 38. Carp, Cxj'prmus carpio. — The long dorsal fin and the 

 presence of two barbels on each side of the mouth distinguish this 

 species, which is a native of China and not indigenous to Britain. 

 In this country it attains a weight of about 25 lbs., but it is said to 

 grow much larger on the Continent. 



Of the two specimens exhibited the larger (38) belongs to the 

 variety known as " Mirror Carp," or " King Carp," which has the 

 scales enlarged but reduced in number, part of the body being 

 naked. This fish, weighing 20 lbs. 8 oz., was caught in the lake at 

 Aldermaston, Herts, in December, 1911, and was presented by 

 C. E. Keyser, Esq. The smaller fish shown (37) was taken from 

 a pond in Kew Gardens in June, 1906 ; weight, 12 lbs. 8 oz. : 

 presented by the Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 



39. Crucian Carp, Carassius carassius (fig. 16). — This species 

 is placed in a genus distinguished from that of the Common Carp 

 by the absence of barbels and by the very different pharyngeal 

 dentition. It inhabits Europe, Turkestan, Siberia and Mongolia ; 

 in Britain it is rare, except in the Thames and some of the eastern 



