l8 THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. 



pose of reproduction several fine specimens she had recently 

 obtained. The pure stock may now be considered secure for the 

 future. In evidence of the extreme beauty of the species, it may be 

 stated that private parties paid for fine specimens twenty times the 

 weight of the fish in gold. 



What has been said about the difficulty of raising telescope fish, 

 may with almost equal propriety be repeated for the fringe-tail. 

 Unlike the former, the latter fish spawns against aquatic plants, the 

 extrusion of the eggs not being so difficult. 



THE FANTAIL. 



The body is elongated and compressed on the sides; the head 

 pointed ; the fins are short and stout, the anal sometimes double, and 

 occasionally found wanting. The caudal fin is comparatively short, 

 is double, with the upper edges grown together; it is sometimes erect 

 like that of the fantail pigeon (see frontispiece), or projects horizon- 

 tally. The colors are mostly vermillion and white; in some cases 

 the whole body is white, with the exception of the abdomen, this 

 being golden; in others the body is dark red, the belly also golden. 

 The color of the eyes is variable. 



It may be mentioned here as an advantage of the double-tailed 

 fish, that they are unable to jump out of the water. This fact is 

 undoubtedly one to be appreciated by those keeping an aquarium. 



THE COMET. 



This is a noble looking fish, and greatly resembles the fantail. 



Its body is slender, the fins very large and of fine structure ; the 

 caudal fin is single and deeply divided. The coloring is identical 

 with the preceding. 



