THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOLDFISH 



with the normal processes of development, influences the first generation 

 and these may transmit the effect and continue the peculiarity in the 

 future generations. 



Abnormal modifications in the goldfish breeds are not restricted ^to 

 the fins, but affect the body, head and other organs, but in some respects 

 the type is fixed, as in the number of scales in the lateral line and the number 

 of transverse rows of scales on the body, though a displacement of the organs, 

 a shortening of the body muscles and of the segments of the vertebra, is 

 evident in the shortened body; to compensate for which the overlap of 

 the scales and of their surface varies very considerable in the difl^erent breeds. 

 Variations of the head consist most largely in ashortening, by compression, 

 ofthesnoutand ofthe position ofthemouth,which in some breeds is modified 

 to an almost vertical position. The form and position of the nostrils are 

 also changed on the short snout. 



The degenerative changes are not alone due to careful selection, but 

 are also attributable to the restraint of an aquarium existence; theenforced 

 disuse ofthe muscles producing an exaggerated growth of all the fins, as 

 "the material saved from expenditure in muscular effort may be expended 

 in growth in another direction, and culminates in a lengthening of all the 

 fins, so that they are an actual hindrance in swimming." 



The highly bred varieties have become entirely unfitted to existence 

 other than in the aquarium under the fostering care ofthe breeder, and the 

 young of such breeds, if they survive at all, revert more and more 

 to the ancestral type with each succeeding generation when deprived of 

 this supervision. 



A sluggishness of habit has also been developed by the Oriental breed- 

 ers, as both the descriptions of authorities on the propagation of the gold- 

 fish and the observations of fanciers prove; and with some of the highly 

 developed varieties has been carried to such extent that harmless fishes of 

 other species must be kept with them in the aquaria to agitate the water 

 and prevent suffocation. 



Some of the races are so monstrously developed and the displacement 

 or the crowding of the swimming bladder so extensive that they cannot 

 maintain their equilibrium in the water, but assume a position as though 

 standing on their heads or tails, or partly or entirely reversed. 



Professor Ryder prepared tables of measurements, in millimetres, of 

 the three breeds of goldfishes obtained from Philadelphia breeders in 

 March, 1893, which are here given in condensed form; but it should be 

 stated that at this writing'more varieties and even more wonderful developed 

 fishes are sucessfuUy bred. 



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