THE CARP. 89 



CHAPTER IV. 



FISHES WITH SOFT FIN-RAYS, AND THE VENTRAL 

 FINS REMOTE FROM THE PECTORAL. 



THE second order of osseous fishes is termed 

 Malacopterygii, that is, fishes having the fin-rays 

 almost universally flexible, excepting that in 

 some, as the carp, the first and second ray of 

 the dorsal fin, and first ray of the opposite fin, 

 are bony and strong. 



In the first section, termed Abdominales, the 

 ventral fins are suspended under the abdomen, 

 considerably beyond the pectoral fins. 



To this subdivision belong the Cyprinidce, or 

 family of the carps, of which we may take the 

 well-known common carp as an example. The 

 carp, so abundant at the present day in the 

 ponds, lakes, and sluggish rivers of our island, 

 is not an aboriginal of England ; we know not, 

 however, at what period it was introduced, nor 

 from what part of the continent, but most pro- 

 bably from France or Italy, and certainly before 



