Class IV. CARP CYPRINE. 471 



year 1767. We shall, in our Appendix, take 

 the liberty of borrowing such part of his tables 

 of the foecundity of fishes, as will demonstrate 

 the kind attention of Providence, towards the 

 preserving so useful a class of animals for the 

 service of its other creatures. 



These fish are extremely cunning, and on that 

 account are by some styled the river fox. They 

 will sometimes leap over the nets, and escape 

 that way; at others, will immerse themselves 

 so deep in the mud, as to let the net pass over 

 them. They are also very shy of taking a bait; 

 yet at the spawning time they are so simple, as to 

 suffer themselves to be tickled, handled, and 

 caught by any body that will attempt it. 



The carp is apt to mix its milt with the roe of 

 other fishes, from which is produced a spurious 

 breed : we have seen the offspring between it and 

 the tench, which bore the greatest resemblance 

 to the first; and have also heard of the same 

 mixture between it and bream. 



The carp is of a thick shape; the scales Descrip- 

 very large, and when in best season of a fine 

 gilded hue. The jaws are of equal length ; there 

 are no teeth in the jaws, or on the tongue; but 

 at the entrance of the gullet, above and below, 

 are certain bones that act on each other, and 

 comminute the food before it passes down ; on 



TION. 



