AMERICAN FISHES. 



of the Mississippi valley, especially in the tributaries of the Mississippi in 

 "Wisconsin and Minnesota, and of the Ohio, in Indiana and Ohio. It does 

 not occur in the lower Mississippi basin, nor on the western slope of the 

 Alleghanies. 



There is no representative of the genus in the tributaries of the Pacific, 

 either American or Asiatic, but the allied Percichthys replaces it in tem- 

 perate South America (Patagonia, Peru and Chili), while in northern 

 China Siniperca fills its stead. The Stone-perch, Pope, Ruffe, Kaul- 

 barsch or Gremille, of Europe, Acerina cermta, which somewhat resembles 

 the Perch, though more nearly related to the Pike-perches is, perhaps 

 fortunately, not found in America. 



Authorities are not harmonious in opinion as to the specific identity 

 of the American and the European Perch. Gunther, Steindachner and 

 Day maintain that they are the same, while Jordan is equally positive that 

 the Perca americana or P. flavi-scciis of American writers is at least a dis- 

 tinct sub-species. It is my own impression that the American Perch can- 

 not be positively separated from that of Europe, which, as Day has shown. 

 is extensively variable in form and color. 



Perch frequent quiet waters of moderate depth, pools under hollow banks, 

 eddies and expansive shady reaches in the meadow brooks, creeks and 

 canals, preferring the sides of the stream to swift currents, and sandy and 

 pebbly rather than muddy bottoms. In mill-ponds they are likelv to be 

 found in the deep water just above the dam, and in the vicinity of piles 

 of locks, bridges and sluice gates. They sometimes descend into the 

 brackish water of estuaries, where they become large and verv firm 

 fleshed. In muddy pools they often assume a golden color, but in such 

 situations are soft and rarely well flavored. 



"As a still-water pond fish," writes 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 in-flowing creeks. Deep water of the 

 temperature of ordinary spring-water, with some current, and the bed of a 

 stream, at least partially covered with vegetation, best suits this fish." 

 They are gregarious, and there is an Old-country saying that when the 

 angler meets a school of Perch he may capture every one, if he be wary 

 and noiseless. 



" Perch, like the Tartar clans, in troops remove, 

 And urged by famine or by pleasure rove ; 

 But if one prisoner, as in war, you seize, 



