THE CARP. 65 



mark, however, by which the angler may always at once distinguish 

 the two fish on the most cursory examination is the mouth. This 

 in the common carp has two little barbels or beards at each corner, 

 whilst in the mouth of the Prussian carp no beards whatever exist." 



Of course there are other differences which will strike the angler- 

 naturalist ; but these are the principal, and amply suffice for distin- 

 guishing the fish from its confreres. 



The Cyprinus auratus, or gold fish, is another kind of carp, but 

 whether an actually distinct species or not I am doubtful, for this 

 reason : I have on two occasions found the Cyprinus carpio with bars of 

 distinct golden colour on their bronze sides. I am, therefore, inclined 

 to think that the auratus is a sport of nature which has been carefully 

 bred and cultured until little or no tendency is exhibited to " throw 

 back " to the original parent characteristics. Of course, this idea 

 admits of discussion, and I do not therefore, insist on it. The auratus 

 is a native of China, and was introduced to this country in 1681. In 

 1728 the then Lord Mayor of London, Sir M. Decker, possessed a, 

 goodly number. The Chinese feed them on white paste, and "also," 

 says Buffon, "give them lean pork dried in the sun and reduced to 

 powder." Snails and their slime appear to be caviare to them. Buffon 

 also asserts they will eat the lemna or duckweed, and also small fry 

 It would appear that the Chinese make quite an industry of these 

 little creatures, collecting the spawn on hurdles and protecting it until 

 hatched by the warmth of the sun. Couch mentions that they exist 

 in quantities in China in the receptacles used for condensing the steam 

 into water near the factories. A temperature of 80deg. is by no means 

 unusual in these places. At the Westminster and Brighton Aquariums 

 are to be seen some curious sports of nature, termed " telescope fish," 

 with eyes projecting and movable, also possessing four distinct tails 

 merged in one base. They are very curious and interesting varia. 

 tions of the common gold fish. 



The food of all carp is of a very diverse nature almost all vegetables, 

 when young and tender, from blades of grass to green peas and white- 

 heart cherries, all grain from maize to rye. Pastes are recommended, 

 flavoured with cheese, sugar, honey, gin, and turpentine ; flies, slugs, 

 gentles, grubs, caterpillars, worms, are in the catalogue; even small 

 gudgeon are not to be despised as bait, and I have known a large 

 carp bite a decent-sized eel in half, swallowing the tail end. 



The habitat of the carp is chiefly lakes in temperate countries all 

 over the globe. They are also found in rivers, but seem to thrive best 

 in the quiet of sheltered lakes. India and China, Austria and Prussia, 

 Eussia and Eastern Siberia alike produce species of this fish. Valen- 



