ORDER II. BONY FISHES. — MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 175 
kept in glass vessels for ornamental purposes. They flourish in our northern | 
ponds and streams, and bear well the rigors of the climate. 
They are the pets of ladies, who complain that, like all other beautiful 
things, they die early. They are careful to change the water, and keep 
them clean, but forget that the Carp is a semi-carnivorous animal, with a 
sharp appetite, and as much in danger of starving to death in his narrow 
quarters as a land animal. In confinement, however, it is best to give them 
animal food, such as worms, only occasionally, and let. their principal fare 
be of pellets of stiff dough, made of flour and water only. All the food 
that remains uneaten should be removed. 
Barbus. — The Barbel, or Bearded-fish, is so named from the cirri at its 
mouth. 2. communis, the common Barbel, known by its long head, was 
so coarse as to be overlooked by the ancients till the time of Ausonius, and 
what he says is no panegyric on it; for he lets us know it loves deep waters, 
and that, when it grows old, it was not absolutely bad. It frequents the 
still and deep parts of rivers, and lives in society, rooting, like swine, with 
its nose in the soft banks. It is so tame as so suffer itself to be 
taken with the hand; and people have been known to take numbers by 
diving for them. In summer they move about during night in search of 
food, but towards autumn, and during winter, confine themselyes to the 
deepest holes. They are the worst and coarsest of fresh-water fish, and 
seldom eaten but by the poorer sort of people, who sometimes boil them with 
a bit of bacon, to give them a relish. The roe is very noxious, affecting 
those who unwarily eat of it with a nausea, vomiting, purging, and a slight 
swelling. It is sometimes found of the length of three feet, and eighteen 
pounds in weight; it is of a long and rounded form; the scales not large. 
Its head is smooth; the nostrils placed near the eyes ; the mouth is placed 
below. On each corner is a single beard, and another on each side the 
nose. The dorsal fin is armed with a remarkably strong spine, sharply ser- 
rated, with which it can inflict a very severe wound on the incautious 
handler, and even do much damage to the nets. The pectoral fins are of a 
pale brown color; tke ventral and anal tipped with yellow; the tail a little 
bifureated, and of a deep purple; the side line is straight; the scales are 
of a pale gold color, edged with black ; the belly is white. 
Gosio. — The Gudgeons. The Gudgeon is generally found in gentle 
streams, and is of a small size; those few, however, that are caught in the 
Kennet and Coln Rivers, in England, are three times the weight of those 
taken elsewhere. The largest we ever remember to have heard of was taken 
near Uxbridge, England, and weighed half a pound. They bite eagerly, 
and are assembled by raking the bed of the river; to this spot they imme- 
diately crowd in shoals, expecting food from this disturbance. The shape 
NO. XV. 75 
