THE COMMON CARP. 4 51 



OF THE CARP TRIBE. 



THE Carp tribe, for the most part, inhabit fresh waters, where they 

 feed on worms, insects, aquatic plants, fish, and clay or mould. Some 

 of them are migratory. Most of the species, which are very numerous, 

 are found only in the northern countries of Europe ; and, consequently, 

 were unknown to the ancient naturalists of Greece and Rome. 



THE COMMON' CARP. 



In their general habits, these fish exhibit so great a degree of 

 cunning, as sometimes to be called by 

 the country people River-fox. When 

 attempted to be taken by a net, they 

 will often leap over it; or immerse 

 themselves so deep in the mud, as to 

 sufter the net to pass over without 



1 COMMON CARP. 



touching them. They are also very 



shy of taking a bait; but, during spawning-time, they are so intent 

 on the business of depositing their ova, that they will suffer them- 

 selves to be handled by any one who attempts it. They breed three 

 or four times in the year, but their first spawning is in the beginning 

 of May. 



Carp are found in the slow rivers and stagnant waters of Europe 

 and Persia ; and here principally in deep holes, under the roots of 

 trees, hollow banks, or great beds of flags, &c. They do not often 

 exceed four feet in length, and twenty pounds in weight ; but Joviua 

 mentions some, caught in the lake of Co mo, in Italy, that weighed 

 two hundred pounds each ; and others have been taken in tbe 

 Dneister five feet in length. 



From their quick growth and vast incrense, these are considered 

 as the most valuable of all fish for the stocking of ponds; and if the 

 breeding arid feeding of them were better understood, and more 

 practised, than they are, the advantages resulting from them would 

 be very great. 



By being constantly fed, they may be rendered so familiar as 

 always to come, for fowl, to the side of the pond where they are kept. 

 Dr Smith, speaking of the Prince of Conde's seat at Chantilly, says, 

 " The most pleasing things about it were the immense shoals of very 

 large Carp, silvered over with age, like silver fish, and perfectly tame ; 

 so that, when any passengers approached their watery habitation, they 

 used to come to the shore in such numbers as to heave each other out 

 of the water, begging for bread, of which a quantity was always kept 

 at hand on purpose to feed them. They would even allow themselves 

 to be handled. 17 



Carp are verj long-lived: the pond in the garden of Emanuel 



29 



