PISCES— CARP. ..ROACH. 739 



THE GOLDEN CARP.i 



This is the common gold fish, which are now domesticated in our houses 

 and fish ponds. They were originally brought from Southern China, and 

 were not generally known in England or America, before the early part of 

 the last century. 



In China, the most beautiful kinds are taken in a small lake in the province 

 of Che-Kyang. Every person of fashion keeps them for amusement, either 

 in porcelain vessels, or in the small basons that decorate the courts of the 

 Chinese houses. The beauty of their colors, and their lively motions, give 

 great entertainment, especially to the ladies, whose pleasures, by reason of 

 the cruel policy of that country, are extremely limited. 



In the form of the body, they bear a great resemblance to a carp. They 

 have been known in Europe to arrive at the length of eight inches ; in 

 their native place, they are said to grow to the size of our largest herring. 



The nostrils are tubular, and form a sort of appendages above the nose ; 

 the dorsal fin and the tail vary greatly in shape ; the tail is naturally bifid, 

 but in many it is trifid, and in some even quadrifid ; the anal fins are the 

 strongest characters of this species, being placed not behind one another, 

 like those of other fish, but opposite each other, like the ventral fins. 



THE R0ACH.2 



' Sound as a roach,' is a proverb that appears to be but indifferently found- 

 ed, that fish being not more distinguished for its vivacity than many others ; 

 yet it is used by the French as well as the English, who compare people of 



' Cyprinus auratns, Lin. 



" Leuciseiis rytilus, Cuv. The genus Leucisnts has the dorsal and anal fins short, and 

 destitute of spines and cirrhi. 



