Goldfish Fish 
only about twenty to each square mile in America, 
yet the rivers of China are full of fish of all kinds, 
while we, with our scant population, have almost 
exhausted the supply of fish in our rivers and lakes. 
And this ancestor of our goldfish in its native 
stream is not gold at all, but is olive green above 
and yellow below. For a gold colored fish could 
not have lived long in a stream or lake; it would 
have been seen and swallowed by some wild duck, 
goose or swan, which birds occur in great numbers 
on Chinese streams; or a pelican would have gob- 
bled it up into its great fish-basket. But its safe 
green color saved it, and its descendants were taken 
by the skillful Chinese and through much breeding 
and careful selection were changed in color to gold 
and silver. And if by chance we raise goldfish in our 
aquaria we find when they are small they have dull 
colors like their ancient ancestors; and if our gold- 
fish in the ponds escape into the streams, by some 
helpful magic they soon regain their safe dull brown- 
ish-green color. Numbers of these fish are found in 
our rivers and the only way we know that they are 
goldfish is by their form, for we should never suspect 
it from their color. 
While the Chinese originated the goldfish and 
developed it into many grotesque forms, it has re- 
mained for the Japanese to develop it into fish of 
the most graceful form and the most delicate colors. 
There are ten well-marked varieties of Japanese 
goldfish, each with graceful flowing fins and colors 
that range from black and gold and silver to pale 
blue and green. Americans are always surprised 
to discover how large a part goldfish play in the lives 
of the Japanese people, especially of the children. 
It is estimated that in Japan twenty million gold- 
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