THE GOLDFISH 33 



seen for the first time. Telescope eyes vary quite considerably in 

 shape and in direction. The majority of them are spherical or conical. 

 Tubular eyes are rare and highly prized, but any form is considered 

 good so long as they are large and stand out far from the head. Most 

 telescope eyes point in the same direction as normal eyes, but some 

 point forward. This is unusual. The Celestial Telescope has still 

 more peculiar eye formation. This is described under its own heading. 



Fig. 21. Early Type Chinese Telescope 



One point in common between all Telescope goldfishes is that in 

 the early weeks of life the ej^es appear entirely normal. Until they 

 actually start to "develop eyes" at anywhere from two months to even 

 two years, it is impossible to tell whether or not they will become 

 Telescopes. The usual development period, however, is from three to 

 five months. Should they pass ten months without turning, they may 

 be safely called Japanese Fringetails. Many such fishes that have 

 come from Telescope stock are used to breed to Telescopes to produce 

 Telescopic young. This is usually successful in the first generation, 

 but it has a tendency to spoil the Ijreed by gradually reducing the size 

 of the eyes. Telescope fishes of the present time are, for the most 

 part, considerably inferior in point of eyes compared with the stock 

 of fifteen years ago, due mainly to breeding too exclusively for short 

 bodies and long fins. Type characteristics in any kind of breeding 

 can, like liberty, only be maintained at the price of eternal vigilance. 



