Some Notes on the Fishes 
OK WHICH 
PHOTOGRAPHS APPEAR IN 
THE FOREGOING PAGES . . 
BY 
Walford B. Johnson. 
Pike — (Frontispiece ami page 6a). This fish is widely distributed 
throughout Em ope and America. It inhabits both ponds and rivers, 
where its favourite haunts are the edges of clumps of reeds. It will 
be readily seen from our photograph how well its mottled yellow and 
green sides harmonise with the light and shade of such surroundings. 
This fish is by far the most voracious of all our English freshwater 
species, preying upon smaller fish, frogs, and in fact anything alive 
that is not too big to swallow. Jack, pickerel, luce and gedd are 
local names for this fish. 
Common Carp — (pages 6 and 7). Most probably we are indebted 
to the German Monks of the Middle Ages for these fish. They 
brought this carp over from the continent to stock the monastery 
“stews," as they had a high opinion of its edible qualities. Even 
now it is a common sight in continental markets to see these fish 
exposed for sale as articles of food. This carp, in common with 
all the members of the family, is remarkable for the length of time 
it can remain out of water without suffering any detrimental 
consequences. The common carp may be distinguished from its 
congeners by its greyish brown colour, and the presence of two 
barbels hanging from the lips. 
Mirror and Leather Carp (pages 8 and o) are varieties of the 
above species in which the scaly covering is abnormally developed. 
In the former the scales are very large and glisten like a mirror, 
hence its popular name. The latter is almost bare of scales and on 
this account has received the name of leather carp. 
Red and White Japanese Carp (pages io-ra) are two more 
varieties of the common species, which they resemble closely in 
form and habits. They originally came from Japan, but are now 
common in private waters on the continent. 
The Prussian Carp (pages 13 and r.4) as its name implies first 
came to us from Germany. In colour and shape it much resembles 
the common type, but may be at once distinguished from it by the 
absence of the barbels at the lips. Again the dorsal fin of the 
Prussian carp has a convex outer edge, while that member in the 
other is deeply concave. 
