122 



VERTEBRATA. PISCES. 



necessary, as that food consists of seeds and other 

 vegetable matters. The gills have three rays. 



The Common Carp (C. Carpio), which old Izaak 

 Walton calls " the queen of rivers, a stately, a 

 good, and a very subtil fish," is not a native of Eng- 

 land, but was introduced from the south of Europe, 



THE CARP (Ct/prinus Carpio}. 



where it was well known to the ancient naturalists. 

 It is now, however, pretty common in the southern 

 portion of this island, though it is still almost un- 

 known in Scotland. This must be owing' to its 

 susceptibility of cold, for it is exceedingly pro- 

 lific, as many as seven hundred thousand ova having 

 been found in the roe of a single Carp. They are, 



