THE PKRCK. 5f| 



Let 110 weeds liang on your bait, Tor if they do, 

 the pike will not toiicli it : and always throw it 

 into the water gently. 



Wiien you liave a bite, and the fish cfoes down 

 the stream, it is commonly a small one; but on 

 the contrary, if he sails slowly u})wards with the 

 bait, it is sl sign of a good one ; great fishes in 

 general bile more calmly than small ones ; for 

 the small ones snatch and run away with the bait 

 Avithout any deliberation, but old fishes are more 

 ^vary. 



I5e careful how you take a pike out of the 

 water, for his bite is venemous ; therefore if you 

 have not a landing net, put your finger and 

 thumb into his e^'es, and take him out that 

 way. 



13otli at t70zcl and snap, always have one or 

 more swivels on the line, which will prevent its 

 kenking, and make it play better in the wat(M\ 



Whenever you find your Z^tf/Z^/ZsA water-sopt, 

 change it directly : the hooks for this fi^h are 

 various, 



PERCA FLUFIATILJS, 



The Perch; is bovv'-backed like a hog, and arm- 

 ed with stiff gristles, and his sides with dry thick 

 scales, lie is a very bold biter, which a})pears 

 by his daring to venture upon one of his own kind 

 with more courage than even the ravenous luce. 

 lie seldom grows above two feet long, spawns 

 once a-ycar, either in Fcbmary or March, and 

 bites best in the latter part of the spring. 



Our Perch and that of Aristotle and Ansonius 

 is the same. It was much esteemed by the 

 Komans, nor is it less admired at present, as a 

 firm and delicate fish; the Dutch, indeed, are 



