284 THE CARP. 



formation, the Star-gazer has long attracted the attention of naturalists, and given the ana- 

 tomical investigator much trouble in unravelling the intricate mechanism of its eyes. At a 

 first giance. ; the fish appears to possess four distinct eyes, each of these organs being divided 

 across the middle, and apparently separated into two distinct portions. In fact, an opaque 

 band runs transversely across the cornea of the eye, and the iris, or colored portion, sends out 

 two processes which meet each other under the transverse band of the cornea, so that the fish 

 appears to possess even a double pupil. Still, on closer investigation, the connection between 

 •the divisions of the pupil are apparent, and can readily be seen in the young fish. The lens is 

 shaped something like a jargonelle pear, and is so arranged that its broad extremity is placed 

 under the large segment of the cornea. 



The Star-gazer is a native of Surinam, and is one of the viviparous fish. Three species of 

 this genus are now known to naturalists. 



Though not so brightly spotted as the trout, nor so desperately active when hooked, and 

 very inferior in flesh, the Carp is yet in much favor with anglers, on account of its extreme 



m 



PIRAYA — Serrosalmo plraya. 



cunning, which lias earned for the fish the name of Pox of the waters. As the number of 

 fish is so great, and our space so small, it will be needful to compress the descriptions as much 

 as possible, and to omit everything that does not bear directly on the subject. 



The Carp is found both in rivers and lakes, and in some places, among which the palaces 

 of France may be mentioned, will often grow to an enormous size, and become absurdly tame, 

 crowding to the bank on the least encouragement, and poking their great snouts out of the 

 water in anxious expectation of the desired food. It is most curious to watch these great 

 creatures swimming lazily along, and to see how completely they have lost the inherent dread 

 of man by the exercise of their reasoning powers, which tell them that the once-feared biped 

 on the bank will do them no harm, but, in all probability, will be the means of indulging their 

 appetite with favorite food. 



The Carp is one of the fish that retains its life for a lengthened period even when removed 

 from the water ; and if carefully packed in wet moss so as to allow a free circulation of air, 

 will survive even for weeks. Anglers never seem sure of the Carp — taking plenty on one day 



