1890. 



No. VIII. MR. ARTHUR MOUNTAIN'S BIG CARP A DAY'S 

 TENCH FISHING AND AN UGLY SPILL. 



AA R. Arthur Mountain has very kindly placed in the 

 / V Park lake the carp which he caught at Croxby 

 Pond about three weeks ago. Mr. Hopper under- 

 stands that it was a very fine specimen of the Cyprinus 

 carpio. It is to be hoped that its captor will, before the season 

 closes, be successful in finding a suitable mate for it. The 

 fecundity of the carp is prodigious, as upwards of 700,000 eggs 

 are stated to have been found in the ovaries of a single carp of 

 moderate size. Carp are very fond of lettuces, so any one with 

 spare time on his hands, and a superfluity of that vegetable in 

 his garden, cannot do better than go and stand on the plank on 

 the north side of the Park water and feed Mr. Carp therefrom. 

 He is warranted by his captor not to bite, and to be exceedingly 

 playful ; at least Mr. Mountain found him so when he captured 

 him, and it is only natural to suppose that his playfulness is 

 habitual with him. He is rather young at present not above 

 40 or 50 years old at the outside and, unless he catches cold 

 or rheumatics, he is safe to be found in the Park lake 150 or 200 

 years hence. Mr. Hopper is not joking, for it is a fact that carp 

 attain more than a patriarchal age. In addition to lettuce, let 

 Mr. Hopper suggest to any one who intends feeding Mr. Carp 

 from the aforesaid plank to take with him (when in season) 

 some fresh green peas and very small potatoes. Although to 

 a great extent vegetarian in his diet, Mr. Carp does not object, 

 by way of a change, to a nice red worm or a grub of some sort. 

 He is also very partial to paste, and, although our teetotal 

 friends will scout the idea, Mr. Cyprinus carpio actually likes 

 a little brandy or gin worked into the paste. If too much of 

 either fluid is added our friend gets very tight and gives way to 

 all kinds of gambols, and thinks nothing of throwing himself 

 clean out of the water and coming down into it again 



