Percoidea, or Perce-like Fishes 307 



while the smallest (Microperca punctulata) is, one of the small- 

 est spiny-rayed fishes known, barely attaining the length of 

 an inch and a half. In Europe no Etheostomince are found, 

 their place being filled by the genera Zingel and Aspro, which 

 bear a strong resemblance to the American forms, a resemblance 

 which may be a clew to the origin of the latter. 



The Perches. The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is 

 placed by Cuvier at the head of the fish series, as representing 

 in a high degree the traits of a fish without sign of incomplete 

 development on the one hand or of degradation on the other. 

 Doubtless the increased number of the vertebrae is the chief 

 character which would lead us to call in question this time- 

 honored arrangement. Because, however, the perch has a 

 relatively degenerate vertebrate column, we have used an allied 

 form, the striped bass, as a fairer type of the perfected spiny- 

 rayed fish. Certainly the bass represents this type better than 

 the perch. 



But though we may regard the perch as nearest the typically 

 perfect fish, it is far from being one of the most highly specialized, 

 for, as we have seen in several cases, a high degree of speciali- 

 zation of a particular structure is a first step toward its degra- 

 dation. 



The perch of Europe is a common game-fish of the rivers. 

 The yellow perch of America (Perca ftavescens) is very much 

 like it, a little brighter in color, olive and golden with dusky 

 cross-bands. It frequents quiet streams and ponds from Min- 

 nesota eastward, then southward east of the Alleghanies. "As 

 a still-pond fish," says Dr. Charles Conrad Abbott, "if there is 

 a fair supply of spring-water, they thrive excellently; but the 

 largest specimens come either from the river or from the inflow- 

 ing creeks. Deep water of the temperature of ordinary spring- 

 water, with some current and the bed of the stream at least 

 partly covered with vegetation, best suits this fish." The 

 perch is a food-fish of moderate quality. In spite of its beauty 

 and gaminess, it is little sought for by our anglers, and is much 

 less valued with us than is the European perch in England. 

 But Dr. Goode ventures to prophesy that "before many years 

 the perch will have as many followers as the black bass among 

 those who fish for pleasure" in the region it inhabits. "A 



