THE COMMON CARP. 187 



in deep holes, under the roots of trees, hollow banks, 

 or sreat beds of flags, &c. They do not often exceed 

 four feet in length, and twenty pounds in weight ; 

 but Jovius mentions some, caught in the Lago di 

 Como in Italy, that weighed two hundred pounds 

 each ; and others have been taken in the Dneister 

 five feet in length. 



Their form is somewhat thick, and their colour 

 blue-green above, greenish-yellow mixed with black 

 on the upper part of their sides, whitish beneath, 

 and the tail yellow or violet. The scales are 

 large. On each side of the mouth there is a single 

 beard, and above this another shorter. The dorsal 

 fin is long, extending far towards the tail, which is 

 forked. 



Carp, from their quick growth and vast increase, 

 (for the roe when taken out has frequently been 

 found to weigh more than the fish,) are the most va- 

 luable of all fish for the stocking of ponds ; and if 

 the breeding and feeding of them were better un- 

 derstood, and more practised, the advantages result- 

 ing from them would be very great. A pond stocked 

 with these fish would become as valuable to its 

 owner as a garden. In many parts of Prussia Carp 

 are bred in great quantities, and are thus made to 

 form a considerable part of the revenue of the prin- 

 cipal personages of the country, being sent from 

 thence, in well- boats, into Sweden and Russia, 

 where they are very scarce *. 



By being constantly fed they may be rendered so 



*■ Albin on Esculent Fish, 7. 



