Class IV. GOLD CYPRINE. 491 



In China the most beautiful kinds are taken 

 in a small lake in the province of Che-Kyang. 

 Every person of fashion keeps them for amuse- 

 ment, either in porcellane vessels, or in the 

 small basons that decorate the courts of the 

 Chinese houses. The beauty of their colors, 

 and their lively motions, give great entertain- 

 ment, especially to the ladies, whose pleasures, 

 by reason of the cruel policy of that country, 

 are extremely limited. 



In form of the body they bear a great re- Descrif- 

 semblance to a carp. They have been known 

 in this island to arrive at the length of eight 

 inches ; in their native place they are said # to 

 grow to the size of our largest herring. 



The nostrils are tubular, and form a sort of 

 appendages above the nose ; the dorsal fin and 

 the tail vary greatly in shape ; the tail is natur- 

 ally bifid, but in many is trifid, and in some 

 even quadrifid ; the anal fins are the strongest 

 characters of this species, being placed not be- 

 hind one another like those of other fish, but 

 opposite each other like the ventral fins. 



The colors vary greatly; some are marked 

 with a fine blue, with brown, with bright silver } 

 the most predominant is gold of most amazing 



* Du Halde, 31 6. 



