GOLD AND SILVER FISH. Ill 



Description. 



CHAP. VI. 



" Midst the tide 



Two beauteous forms were seen to glide. 



The genii of the stream ; 

 Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue 

 Through richest purple to the view 



Betray'd a golden gleam." 



GRAY. 



GOLD 4ND SILVER FTSH. 



THESE beautiful fish are a species of carp, 

 and on account of their brilliant colours esteemed 

 the most elegant of all the finny tribes. The 

 male is of a bright red colour from the top of 

 the head to the middle of the body ; the rest is of 

 a gold colour, but it is so splendid that the finest 

 gilding (according to Father Le Compte) cannot 

 approach it. The female is white, but her tail 

 and half of her body resemble the lustre of silver. 

 Father Du Halde, however, observes, that the 

 red and white colours are not always the distin- 

 guishing marks of the male and female; but that 

 the females are known by severalwhitespots which 



