CYP 
fidence. Tliis process is effected by using 
a transparent or dilute solution of some in- 
gredient which becomes coloured by the 
action of heat or light, or of some other in- 
gredient. Thus, if a letter be written with 
a dilute solution of sulphate of iron, or 
green copperas, it will be invisible when 
dry ; but if the paper be wetted by a fea- 
ther dipped in the infusion of galls, the 
tvriting will become black, or if the prus- 
siate of potash be used instead of the galls, 
the letters will be blue. The objection to 
Sympathetic inks is, that the writing be- 
comes visible spontaneously after a shoi t 
time, and that most of them are rendered 
visible by the application of any metallic 
solution, or simply by holding them to the 
fire tilt the paper is a little scorched. When 
a secret ink is used, it is advisable, in or- 
der to prevent suspicion, that a common 
letter should be written with' the ordinary 
ink between the lines. See Ink, and also 
Decyphering. 
CYPRjEA, cowry, in natural history, a 
genus of the 'Vermes Testacea. Animal a 
slug ; shell univalve, involute, sub-ovate, 
smooth, obtuse at each end, linear, extend- 
ing the whole length of the shell, and toothed 
on each side. This is a very numerous ge- 
nus, of which there are several distinct fa- 
milies, one of these is distinguished by be- 
ing obtuse, and without any manifest spire ; 
such as the caput serpentinus and tigris, 
the last of which is well known by the ap- 
pellation tiger cowry. Another kind is per- 
forated or furnished with an umbellicus, as 
in the C. ziczac. A different sort is mar- 
gined like the common West Indian cowry, 
commonly called “ blackamoor's teeth.” In 
the young, the cypraea have much the ap- 
pearance of a volute, and are entirely des- 
titute of the thick denticulated lip or mar- 
gin, so obvious in the adult shells. 
■ CYPRESS, the English name of a genus 
of trees. See Ccpressus. 
CYPRINUS, the carp, in natural history, 
a genus of fishes of the order Abdominales. 
Generic character : mouth smalt and with- 
out teeth ; gill membrane, with three rays ; 
ventral fins often, and, perhaps, generally 
nine-rayed. Of this fish there are fifty 
species, of which it will be sufficient to no- 
tice the following : C. carpio, or the com- 
mon carp. This fish inhabits the slow and 
stagnant waters of many countries of Eu- 
rope, in which it is found extremely to vary 
ill size, from 16 inches to the length of 3 or 
4 feet. In Persia the cai'p is not unfre- 
(luently found of this length, and will weigh 
CYP 
from 30 to 40 pounds. It was introduced 
into England in the 16th century. It feeds 
on herbs, worms, and water insects : it is 
extremely prolific; the roe having been oc- 
casionally found to weigh as much as the 
real substance of the fish : the principle of 
vitality in the carp is uncommonly strong : 
it may be kept alive in a damp situation for 
a very considerable time after being taken 
from the water ; and if w'rapped in wet 
moss, and plunged in water every four 
hours, and fed on bread and milk, will not 
only continue to exist but will thrive and 
fatten : it has been ascertained to live to a 
very considerable age, when they become 
completely white. The carp was classed 
by the ancients among sea-fish ; it is, how- 
ever, generally found in ponds and rivers ; 
and now considered as a fresh-water-fish. 
For a variety of this species, called the large- 
scaled carp, see Pisces, Plate III. fig. 4. 
C. auratus, or gold-fish. This was intro- 
duced into England at the close of the 
l?th century; and, towards the middle of 
the last, was become extremely common. 
It exceeds in splendour all the other inha- 
bitants of the waters; in the full growm 
fish the prevailing colour is that of the 
richest gold, accompanied by a tinge of 
scarlet on the upper part, aud of silver on 
the lower. Its native spot is supposed to 
be the province of Kiang in the south of 
China, fi'oin which it has been conveyed to 
every part of that vast empire, being intro- 
duced into the gardens of the. opulent, and 
even into their apartments, in vases of im- 
mense size, and the most exquisite work- 
manship. It appears sensible to favours, 
and capable of attachment; and by the 
sprightliness of its movements, also as well 
as the unrivalled splendour of its colours, is 
one of the most interesting objects of cave 
and attention to the ladies of that country. 
In England it has now long excited particu- 
lar regard. It is fed with small worms and 
fine bread, and occasionally witli the yolks 
of eggs dried and pounded to powder ; it 
breeds as rapidly as the common carp ; a 
tiequent change of water is desirable for it, 
particularly in hot weather, aud the vessel 
in which it is kept should be considerably 
open to the air. 
C. tinea, or the tench. This is found in 
almost every country, and i.s sometimes seen 
of the weight of eight, ten, and even twenty 
pounds : its common length, howevei’, is 
about twelve inches ; and its scales, as num- 
bered by some curious naturalists, to have 
amounted to thirty thousand ; its favourite 
