Carbon stars in nearby local group galaxies

Well pronounced molecular bands displayed by the spectra of carbon stars ma ke their detection possible in relatively distant galaxies. However, so far , extensive surveys for this kind of object have only been made in the Gala ctic halo galaxies, mainly in the Magellanic Clouds and in the dwarf sphero idals. We review the carbon star surveys of these systems with special emph asis on low luminosity carbon stars that have been found in the Small Magel lanic Cloud and recently in the Fornax dwarf galaxy.