32 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



Its organs of hearing, like those of the tench, are complex and good ; 

 but E. T. Higgins, Esq., informed Couch that these organs are not 

 uniformly alike on each side of the head. 



Some carp produce both milt and roe, and are, consequently, 

 hermaphrodite; others produce no spawn at all, or are unfecund. 

 'The latter phenomenon is probably owing to a disease engendered by 

 parasites. The larval cestode (Lignea digramma) seems to have the 

 effect of arresting the primal formation of roe, and in some cases 

 which have come under my notice the immature spawn has been 

 ossified and inclosed in a membraneous bag a state of things obviously 

 caused in each case by the enormous tapeworm I have discovered in the 

 -fish. Aristotle says the carp produces spawn five or six times a year, 

 according to the stars a statement upon which no reliance can be 

 placed; although I am convinced that in some warm situations, and 

 under favourable circumstances in regard to food, they sometimes 

 produce spawn twice during the season. This is very exceptional, 

 however. Carp usually spawn about May, and are in good condition 

 again very shortly after. The number of eggs sometimes produced by 

 a female fish is prodigious. A carp of 91b. has been found on examination 

 to contain no less than 621,000 eggs. Often, in fact, the roe, on 

 being taken out and weighed against the fish, has outbalanced the latter. 

 The gambols of the carp during the act of generation are very amusing 

 to witness. It is not at all a rare thing to see a carp leap 5ft. and 

 6ft. over an obstacle in a manner similar to the salmon. The male 

 fish is apt to milt with the roe of other fish ; hence a hybrid found 

 in Holland between carp and bream, and a frequent hybrid in Prussia 

 between carp and roach. 



Like the eel, the carp is, in its natural undisturbed condition, torpid 

 during the colder weather of winter. Indeed, the power it possesses 

 of sustaining extremely cold temperature with out loss of vitality is 

 marvellous. Sir John Franklin (first voyage) says that if when frozen 

 the insides were struck out by a hatchet on thawing, even then 

 animation returned. John Hunter, as a set-off on this, asserts that a 

 temperature of anything below 30 deg. is fatal. Prom an examination of 

 the original details of these two examples, I am of opinion that in the 

 case cited by Sir John Franklin the cold was intense and sudden, and by 

 reason of the blood of the fish to a great extent rushing back upon the 

 vital parts, these were saved from complete solidification. In the latter 

 case the cold was prolonged and gradually brought on by chemical 

 means. This difference in the modus operandi would probably influence 

 John Hunter's dictum on the subject. I have myself resuscitated 

 perch after thirty- six hours' freezing (by placing them in a pail of 



