236 MARVELS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD 



which hatch out first will frequently show a tendency 

 to feed upon their younger and smaller brethren. 



In addition to the goldfish, there are other varieties 

 of the carp which have been evolved by artificial 

 selection and breeding in a captive state, one of 

 the most remarkable being the speigel carp or 

 mirror carp, in which the enormous glistening scales 

 are arranged hi two or three longitudinal rows along 

 the sides of the body and separated by bare skin. 

 Occasionally, however, the scales are confined to 

 the upper part of the back, and in such cases the 

 fish are termed saddle-backs ; while old specimens 

 which have lost the majority of their scales are 

 commonly called leather carp. 



Carp, which are stated to have been introduced 

 into England about the year 1514, possess a larger 

 brain in proportion to their size than any other 

 fresh- water fish. They become very tame in 

 captivity, and will even learn to perform tricks. 

 A certain individual which was formerly kept at 

 Fountain Park, San Jose, California, can claim the 

 distinction of having had its doings recorded and 

 illustrated in various newspapers and magazines. 

 The fish was in charge of a gardener named Charles 

 Riley, whose duty it was to clean out every week 

 the basin of the fountain wherein it lived. As 

 the man had a natural liking for animals he quickly 

 won the confidence of the carp and succeeded in 

 teaching it to perform a number of tricks. Not 

 only would the creature feed from his hand and allow 

 itself to be handled, but it even learned to come 

 towards him when he whistled. As its education 



