The Inhabitants of the Aquarium 115 



the hardships of the long trip overland, ag- 

 gravated by the carelessness of the transpor- 

 tation companies. The latter promise to re- 

 new the water in the cans containing the 

 fish two or three times during the five or six 

 days spent on the railroad, and while they 

 are surprisingly prompt in collecting ex- 

 pressage for the fishes, dead or alive, they 

 seldom live up to their side of the contract. 

 The following varieties of gold fish are the 

 most valuable for the amateur aquarist : 



The Japanese Fringe-tail Gold Fish (Caras- 

 sius auratus, var. japonicus bicaudatus ) , as 

 also the Telescope fish, was introduced for 

 the first time in Paris about 1870 — being im- 

 ported from China by Carbonnier. Besides 

 its long scientific and common names, the 

 Fringe-tail has to carry an abnormally de- 

 veloped caudal fin, the shape and size of 

 which determine the market value of their 

 owner. The body of a Fringe-tail should be 

 short and compact. The tail should be ver- 

 tically bifurcated and consist of two distinct 



