LECTURE VIII. 71 



out of the water in order to avoid the rapacity of 

 the larger fishes, and springing with expanded fins 

 to the distance of about an hundred yards, and at 

 the height of about three feet above the surface 

 of the water, after which it is again obliged to 

 plunge ; its fins growing dry, and unable to sup- 

 port it any farther. The other species are chiefly 

 natives of the Indian seas. 



The Carp-Tribe, forming the genus Cyprmus, 

 has for its character, a small mouth without 

 teeth, which are placed at the entrance into the 

 stomach ; an oval oblong body, and, in general, 

 a single back-fin. As an example of this genus 

 I shall only mention the beautiful species called 

 the Gold-Fish, which, as every one knows, is ori- 

 ginally a native of China, from whence it has 

 been gradually introduced into many parts of 

 Europe; into England (if I mistake not) about 

 the year l6Ql but did not become common till 

 about the year 1728, when a great many were 

 brought over by Sir Matthew Decker, and by his 

 means dispersed throughout the kingdom. Like 

 the rest of the Carp tribe they are very long-lived, 

 and are said to last above a century, As to" the 



