CARP AND TENCH. 279 



Sir, — I have great pleasure in answering your enquiries about 

 the carp in the pond. Let me begin by correcting an error into 

 which the writer of the paragraph in the Field has fallen. The 

 pond is in the parish of Great Ormesby, otherwise Ormesby St. 

 Margaret, and not two miles distant from Filly. There were seven 

 carp, weighing (by estimation) from a \ lb. to 6 ozs. each. They 

 were found on emptying out the pond. 



The pond containing about 32 rods — rather less than a J of an 

 acre — only contained about 4 rods of water — the rest was mud, 

 and had been nearly dry, at least six weeks, on the surface, so that 

 ducks could walk on it, when the mud was taken out, all except the 

 upper part of about a foot in depth was somewhat liquid, the upper 

 foot had consistence enough to retain its shape. About 450 cubic 

 yards were taken out of the pond. The holes in which the fish 

 were — three in number — 4 fish in one hole, 2 in another, and i in 

 another, were not exactly circular, but an irregular oval shape, 

 about 4 in. by 3 in. ; they varied in depth from iS in. to 2 ft. 3 in. 

 There was water in each hole and I have no doubt from the effect 

 of the spring, there would have been water for months to come. 

 It leaves the question of fish becoming torpid in mud exactly where 

 it was. All that surprises me is that the gas from the mud did not 

 kill the fish. I shall be most happy to answer any enquiries about 

 this case. I am, &c., 



Edw. Gillet. 



Vicarage, Runham, Filly, Norwich, 

 Nov. 30, 1864. 



The splendid colour of the scales of the carp when in high 

 season has been graphically described in the quotation heading 

 this article as 'bedropped with gold,' and probably, as Mr. 

 Pinkerton suggests, that may have been one of the causes 

 which led to the carp (alone amongst all fresh water fish) attain- 

 ing to mythical honours. The story which is given by Vanifere 

 describes how Saturn flying. from Jupiter, came to a wide lake. 

 With Carpus, the master of it, he made a compact for a free 

 ferry across, but tempted by the love of lucre he would have 

 made a prisoner of his passenger had not the god perceived- 

 his treachery in his face and turned the traitor and his crew 

 into fish, which, however, still follow after saiKng ships in hope 

 of ' golden fragments : ': — . ^ 



