CYPRINID^E. 169 



one 3. During the winter, it is believed that they eat little or nothing, 

 aiid lie, half-torpid, in the mud. They are extraordinarily tenacious 

 of life, and can be kept alive in a cool place for many days, and even 

 weeks, if placed in wet moss, and fed on bread steeped in milk. This 

 peculiarity renders them very easy of transportation. 



They are slow of growth, not arriving at the weight of three pounds 

 before their sixth, or ten before their ninth year ; they arrive, how- 

 ever, ultimately at a very great size, having been taken up to eighteen 

 pounds, at which ultimum they are nearly as broad as they are long, 

 measuring thirty inches in length by twenty-two or three in depth. 



" They are in season for the table," says Yarrel, once more, " from 

 October to April, and are greatly indebted to cooks for the estimation 

 in which they are held. 



" The mouth is small ; no apparent teeth ; a barbule or cirrus at 

 the upper part of each corner of the mouth, with a second smaller one 

 above it on each side ; the nostrils are large, pierced at the second- 

 third of the distance between the lip and the eye. The eye is small ; 

 the operculum marked with stride radiating from the anterior edge ; 

 nape and back rising suddenly. The dorsal fin-rays are twenty-two 

 in number, the pectorals seventeen, ventrals nine, caudals nineteen. 

 The first dorsal fin-ray is short and bony, the second also bony and 

 strongly serrated posteriorly. The first anal fin-ray is also bony and 

 serrated posteriorly. The tail forked, the longest rays as long again 

 as those of the centre. The caudal rays of the two halves of the 

 tail always unequal in number in the Cyprinida. The body covered 

 with large scales, about twelve rows between the ventral and dorsal 

 fins ; the general color golden olive brown, head darkest ; insides 

 golden ; belly yellowish white ; lateral line interrupted, straight. Fins, 

 dark brown." 



This fish is very well adapted for keeping in muddy stew ponds, 

 when he will become very fat, and can be used with advantage when 

 no other fish is to be procured. 

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