GILL] THE FAMILY OF CYPRINIDS 201 
into many countries. One is the carp (Cyprinus carpio) utilized 
for food purposes, and the other the goldfish (Carassius auratus), 
so well known as the tenant of aquaria and globes in numerous 
houses. Other European species domesticated to a slight extent 
are the ide, id or nerfling (Jdus, or Leucitscus, idus) and the tench 
(Tinca tinca). All these have been imported into the United States 
from Europe. 
In the aggregate the Cyprinids supply a large proportion of the 
fishes which serve for the consumption of the inhabitants of the 
inland countries whose waters they frequent. In the eastern and 
central portions of the United States, however, they are regarded 
with little favor, as they are mostly too small to furnish food to the 
table or sport-to the fisherman. Their numbers and their presence 
everywhere, nevertheless, force them on the attention of the inhabi- 
tants, and even if they fail to appeal to the palate of the epicure 
or to satisfy the desire of the “ scientific angler,” their pursuit gives 
pleasure to thousands of juvenile anglers; and men, too, after all 
are boys of riper growth and, disdaining the capture, yet take. 
Old Ausonius has given a vivid picture of the youthful angler 
which may recall boyish days. 
Poised on a rock, hid from fish’s gaze, 
His slender line the cautious angler plays, 
Inclining downward from his shadowed nook, 
The pliant rod, whose tip with graceful crook, 
Yields gently to the plummet’s chosen weight; 
The eager fish quick bites the flattering bait,— 
Then writhes in terror at the pang, that thrills 
From the barbed iron through his wounded gills, 
Down sinks the float, and, with repeated nod, 
The struggling captive agitates the rod,— 
The ready stripling, through the hissing air, 
From right to left now springs the straining hair, 
And, flung upon the shore, his welcome prize 
Flounces awhile in death, and gasping dieé. 
In spite of the fact that the family is abundantly represented in 
the waters of the most progressive nations of the globe as well as 
others, the paleontological history is almost unknown. Numerous 
remains have been found of middle and later tertiary age (not 
older than the oligocene) but all have been identified with existing 
genera. Not a single well differentiated and determined extinct 
genus has been discovered and no light has been thrown on the past 
history or origin of the family. A few distinct generic names, it 
is true, have been proposed for extinct species, but the remains 
have not been sufficient to allocate them in the system. The sup- 
