ABDOMINAL MALACOPTERYGII. 123 



according to Cuvier, " perhaps the least carnivorous 

 of all fishes ;" feeding principally on river weeds, 

 varied, however, occasionally with insects and worms. 

 They appear to be torpid in winter, concealing 

 themselves in the mud. Gilbert White writes, "In 

 the garden of the Black Bear Inn, in the town of 

 Reading, is a stream or canal, running under the 

 stables, and out into the fields on the other side of 

 the road ; in this water are many Carps, which lie roll- 

 ing about in sight, being fed by travellers, who amuse 

 themselves by tossing them bread; but as soon as 

 the weather grows at all severe, these fishes are no 

 longer seen, because they retire under the stables, 

 where they remain till the return of spring."* 

 They are so tenacious of life, that it is said they 

 may be kept a long time out of water, by being 

 hung surrounded by wet moss in a net in a cool 

 place, feeding them with sopped bread, and occasion- 

 ally throwing cold water over them.f Mr. Yarrell 

 attributes to them a considerable degree of intelli- 

 gence. " Carp manage to avoid a net, burying 

 themselves in the mud, and allowing a heavily- 

 loaded ground line to pass over them without their 

 moving; but if disturbed from their hiding-places, 

 frequently endeavouring, like the Grey Mullet, to 

 escape over the corked head-line. "J Their usual 

 length is from twelve to eighteen inches, but some 

 are said to attain the length of three feet, and the 



* Nat. Hist. Selb. p. 144, Jenyns' Edition, 

 t Walton, 1815, p. 255 (note). 

 Br. Fishes, Vol. i. p. 309. 



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