CARP AND BREAM. 53 
than any other fish, and this probably because it 
is not an indigenous but an introduced species. 
In cold water they spawn but seldom, their fecun- 
dity being affected; the fish are stunted and less 
brightly coloured ; whereas in warm water they 
live to a considerable age, and attain to a large 
size. It is owing to these facts that carp flourish so 
much better in the southern than in the northern 
parts of Britain. 
The food of the carp consists for the most part 
of succulent stalks of water-plants, of worms, 
insects, and soft-bodied life generally which is 
found in mud. In winter they lie in a semi- 
dormant condition at the bottom of ponds partially 
buried. This does not occur when the water- 
temperature is high, as here the fish feed and 
thrive through the hardest weather. Carp are 
not much fished for, as they can hardly be said to 
afford good sport, and then they are most difficult 
to circumvent. They possess leather-like mouths, 
and there is a barbule at the upper part of each 
corner of the mouth. The following interesting 
quotation from Lady Colin Campbell’s Book of 
the Running Brook and of Still Waters sets 
forth some of the points enumerated above as to 
the value of carp-culture, their rate of growth, and 
above all, their tenacity of life. This refers to the 
highlands of Limousin, and gives a_ graphic 
