CARP AND TENCH. 281 



their stomachs, having been swallowed, it may be, on account 

 of the minute woms or other animal matters it contains. 



The crowns, or upper surfaces, of the teeth of carp are 

 furrowed, and altogether present a very similar appearance to 

 those of ruminating animals. These teeth masticate the food 

 by working against a gristly plate in the roof of the throat, in 

 front of which will be found the soft fleshy mass, commonly 

 known as ' carp's tongue ; ' the real tongue, however, is placed 

 as usual between the limbs of the mandible, and is small and 

 inconspicuous. 



Besides the singularity already noticed in the interior sup- 

 ports or gill leaves of the carp, which enables it to survive 

 lengthened exposure, the air bladder is also remarkable for its 

 size, and is double, being divided by a short narrow neck or 

 necks into two or more chambers. 



We have at least three varieties of the carp family, besides 

 Cyprinus carpio, more or less acclimatised in this country. The 

 Crucian, or German carp {Cyprinus carassius), the Prussian, or 

 gibel carp {Cyprinus gibelid), and the gold carp — the common 

 gold and silver fish of the aquaria {Cyprinus auratus). The 

 last three are probably introduced species into this country, 

 and are hardly sufficiently common or widely distributed to 

 form important items in our list of sporting fish. The shape 

 both of the Prussian and Crucian carp differs materially from 

 that of the common carp, being, in fact, broader and flatter and 

 ■ altogether more ' bream-like ' in appearance. In colour, also, 

 they are both of a much paler gold, especially at the sides. 

 The Crucian carp again differs from the Prussian carp in the 

 shape of its head, the head of the Prussian carp being much 

 rounder and more 'chub-hke,' and the depth of the body, 

 though still exceeding that of the carp, being less remarkable. 



Indeed, the Prussian carp bears externally considerable re- 

 semblance to the gold fish, whilst the Crucian carp more distinctly 

 reminds one of the bream. The Crucian carp is the rarer spe- 

 cies of the two, and has never, according to Yarrell, been taken 

 except in the Thames between Hammersmith and Windsor. I 



