CARP AND TENCH. 277 



even lively at the end of it. The idiosyncracy is so well-known 

 and acted upon that in Holland it is no uncommon practice to 

 fatten carp for the table by hanging them in a cellar in a net 

 full of moss kept damp, and feeding them, like great babies, on 

 bread and milk poked into their mouths with a spoon. 



The capacity of enduring this sort of amphibious existence 

 is no doubt due to the construction of the fish's breathing ap- 

 paratus, which is peculiar. The supports of the gill covers are 

 bony ; whilst in the perch they are formed partly of bone and 

 partly of cartilage, and in the bream, barbel, and pike wholly 

 of cartilage. The consequence is that instead of becoming 

 stuck together when deprived of the moisture of the water, 

 these gill covers, which represent the lungs of the fish, can be 

 separated by the action of the muscles so as to absorb the 

 oxygen from the air in other words to breathe. In the carp 

 also the gill-openings, which in the salmon and trout are equal 

 in extent to the length of the gill-arches, are partially closed by 

 a membrane, thus enabling them to retain moisture. 



The secretary of the National Fish Culture Association 

 lately tried the experiment of endeavouring to revive with 

 brandy some carp which had been left eight hours out of water. 

 Of this experiment the Daily Telegraph publishes an amusing 

 account. 



The actual facts, as may be found stated in the Fish Culture 

 Journal, are these. Two Prussian carp were taken out of a tank 

 of the South Kensington Aquarium and put into two separate dry 

 cans, and one of the fish, to distinguish it from the other as a carp 

 of temperate habits, was decorated with a piece of blue ribbon. 

 They were left in their wretchedness until they were to all appear- 

 ance quite dead, the teetotal fish succumbing half an hour after 

 the other. To make sure of decease the corpses were left alone 

 for four hours, after which they were both restored to their proper 

 element, it was then obvious that the floating things were as 

 thoroughly defunct as need be. The Secretary, being satisfied of 

 this, then took out the fish without the ribbon the Licensed 

 Victualler we will call it and gave it a dose of brandy with a 

 feather, and put it back into the water. The effect was amazing, 



