30 THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. 
The carp is a fish of much importance in Japan; in it the 
Japanese see all the manly virtues represented. When a boy- 
baby is born to a family, little gifts representing a carp, or 
articles bearing the picture of one, are left by friends for the 
baby, expressing the wish that the boy may pattern after the 
carp, ‘be able to swim against the current as well as with it, 
overcome obstacles cunningly and bear misfortunes without 
complaining.” One day of the year, the “fish day,” is cele- 
brated, and on every house that had been blessed during the 
year by the birth of a boy-baby a little flag in shape of a 
carp, and evenings a paper lantern of same form, is displayed. 
THE GOLDEN TENCH. 
(Tinca aureus.) 
Body elongated, compressed on the sides (cylindrical in young 
specimens), and covered with very small scales; these in turn 
are covered with an unusually thick coat of slime. Head 
pointed ; lips well developed, the upper one with two barbles 
situated at the corners of the mouth; eyes dark brown, almost 
black ; dorsal fin short and rounded with one spine and eight 
or nine soft rays situated in the middle of the back ; abdom- 
inal fins small and rounded, of delicate structure; tail short 
and but little forked. The color of the fish is reddish-orange 
(the color of red lead) or rich golden-yellow, deepest on the 
back, fading to white on the abdomen. The entire body, in- 
cluding the head and the fins, is speckled with small intensely 
black spots of irregular shape. A very fine aquarium fish, with 
graceful motions of slow growth, attaining a length of about 
ten inches. 
It soon becomes accustomed to its master and then prefers 
to take its meals from her or his hands. This sign of 
