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species. In order to familiarize onr citizens with this fish — 
which is almost unknown in this country — and enable them 
to appreciate its full value, we give a detailed description of it, 
and a cut representing a “ leather-carp W e are indebted to the 
American Agriculturalist, whose editor was furnished with a 
drawing of one of the leather 1 carp from our National Ponds. 
The electrotype is a reproduction from the illustration given 
in the January number of that periodical. The carp has 
been known for centuries in most of the countries of Europe, 
but has been chiefly cultivated in Germany and Austria. 
In England and France, although well known, it has not been 
bred with the care bestowed in the last mentioned countries, 
where it has attained considerable excellence, and where sev- 
eral varieties of it are to be found, viz: the scale-carp , which 
strongly resembles the original form, imported from Asia cen- 
turies ago; the mirror-carp , which is almost destitute of scales, 
and the Leather-carp, which is the most esteemed of the three 
varieties. It will be observed, see the accompanying engrav- 
ing, that it is almost entirely devoid of scales, having only 
one row in the dorsal region, and a few near the fins. We 
have bestowed much care upon the carp, deeming its intro- 
duction into Maryland waters of great importance, as it is 
easily propagated, very prolific, a vegetable feeder, and capa- 
ble of living in water subject to extreme elevations of temper- 
ature. We believe it to be peculiarly adapted to the eastern 
and southern portions of the State. 
The fact of its being a vegetable feeder is an important 
point in its favor, as such fish can exist and thrive in water in 
which carnivorous fish would perish for lack of food. It has 
been noticed in the National Ponds at Washington that the 
fish feed voraciously and grow fat on the alga , commonly 
called frogs-spittle, which is found, in abundance, in still, or 
partially stagnant, waters. It also feeds on the worms, and 
the insects, larvae, which they obtain by rooting in the mud. 
It is said that in Europe large numbers are raised on the 
refuse matter from kitchens, slaughter houses and breweries. 
We have mentioned the capacity of this fish to survive ex- 
treme elevations of temperature, and to thrive in stagnant 
