Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/228

214 suppose, is to be attributed the beautiful pearly play of light that marks these lovely fishes, as distinguished from the light reflected by an uniformly polished surface. We have found the pearly pigment of the scales to be provided with similar spiculæ in fishes widely differing in size, structure and habits, as the Gudgeon and Minnow, the Pike and the marine Bream. The spiculæ of these fishes agree in general form with those of the Gold-fish, and also in size, with the exception of trifling variations in the comparative length and breadth. The colouring matter is lodged in lengthened cylindrical cells, arranged side by side, and running across the scale, that is, in a direction at right angles to the lateral line.

The Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio, .), though not indigenous to England, is now sufficiently abundant here, especially in the southern and midland counties. In Scotland it cannot be considered other than rare. The period of the introduction of the species into this country is disputed; the probability is, that it was imported into different parts at separate times. The earliest notice of it on record is by Dame Juliana Berners, about the end of the fifteenth century.

The Carp has been known to attain the length of thirty inches, with a girth of twenty-two. Its colours are brownish-olive on the upper parts, and dull white on the lower, the whole surface having a tinge of yellow: the fins are dark brown; the number of their rays is as follows: D. 22; P. 17; V. 9; A. 8; C. 19. The scales are large and coarse; the lateral line nearly straight.

Still waters are principally affected by this species; ponds with soft muddy bottoms are most