invisible from above. All of the fins are large. The dorsal base is long and occupies two-thirds of the 

 length of the back, sometimes arising near the head and sometimes much posterior thereto. The 

 caudal is three-lobed, four-lobed, or bag-like, and may equal or even exceed the entire length of 

 the body of the fish. In its graceful folds and delicate texture the caudal resembles that of the ryukin. 

 The long, double anal surrounds the terminal vent. 



In color the oranda is either plain or variegated. Up to twenty years ago fish with variegated 

 backs were not known, but since then red-and-white fish have been common. The plain red fish 

 never show the rich golden iridescence of the ranchu. Some fish are uniformly velvety black with 

 golden reflections below ; some are red with the abdomen canary yellow instead of white ; and various 

 other colors are met with. The warty mass may be white, pink, vermilion, orange-red, black, or 

 variegated. The fins are usually bright red, with more or less white on the caudal. A strikingly 

 beautiful large male oranda seen by the author in Osaka had a red head, a yellow-golden body, 

 a black back, and black fins. 



This variety when originally produced was only 2 to 3 inches long, but now it is one of the 

 largest forms cultivated. The ordinary length of mature fish is 4 to 5 inches, with the caudal fin 

 as much longer. The largest specimens have the body and caudal each over 6 inches long, and 

 weigh nearly 20 ounces. 



The oranda shishigashira is extensively bred in Tokyo, Osaka, Koriyama, and other places, 

 and is one of the favorite varieties, combining the beautiful and the curious in a striking degree. 

 In hardiness it is between the ranchu and the ryukin. 



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