Page:British Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fresh-water Fishes.djvu/99

CRUCIAN CARP AND GOLDFISH The limit weight seems to be about 25 pounds, but this may be considered a large specimen, in this country. It is, as a rule, greenish-brown, with rich bronze-coloured sides. It not only lives to a ripe old age, but will also exist for a considerable time out of water.

Crucian Carp.—Carassius vulgaris (Fig. 42). The Crucian or Prussian Carp is minus the barbels of Cyprinus carpio and also differs in other respects. It,

however, resembles the latter in colour. It does not attain such large dimensions, the maximum weight being about 7 pounds, and a length of about i feet is attained. It has not, so far, been found in Scotland, Wales, or Ireland, and hence is much more locally distributed than the species last under notice. The generic name Carassius is the Latin form of a German word Karausche, and that of the Common Carp—Cyprinus—is believed to be derived from the island of Cyprus.

Goldfish.—Carassius auratus. In a wild condition the 81