6 RUFFE OR POPE. 



what Belon had written before Caius sent the figure to him, and had already given a good 

 description of it. He says that in England it was known by the name of the Ruffe, "ab 

 asperitate dictus," and that Caius had given it, for the same reason, the name of asprciio. 



The Ruffe is a much smaller fish than the Perch, and is common in most of the rivers 

 and canals of the midland and some other counties of England. Couch says it is not found 

 in Cornwall or Devonshire, in Scotland, or the Isle of Wight ; nor is it enumerated by iVIr. 

 Thompson among the fishes of Ireland. In Gesner's time it was rarely found in the Thames, 

 but at present it occurs there in greater or less numbers, as is also the case in the Cam. 

 According to Dr. Giinther the Ru^fe is found in the rivers of France, Switzerland, Germany, 

 Sweden, Norway, Russia, and Siberia. It is tolerably common in some of the canals and 

 ponds of Shropshire, and I have had no difficulty in obtaining specimens for examination. In 

 habits it resembles the Perch. Its food consists of small worms, larvae of insects, small 

 molluscous animals, etc. It is a bold biter, and affords good sport to the young angler, 

 being readily taken with a small worm ; the Ruffe being, like the Gudgeon, chiefly a bottom 

 swimmer, the baited hook should be near the ground. No doubt the Ruffe thrives best in 

 rivers or in ponds through which water is constantly running, and in such localities it grows 

 well, sometimes attaining to a length of .seven inches and a weight of about two ounces and 

 a half The finest Ruffe I ever saw were caught in a pond through which fresh river-water 

 kept flowing, belonging to R. Masefield, Esq., of EUerton Hall, Shropshire: a fish six inches 

 in length was by no means an uncommon specimen. 



The Ruffe, resembling in outward characters and markings both the Perch and the Gudgeon, 

 has sometimes, but erroneously, been considered a hybrid between the two ; although there is 

 actual proof that closely allied species do occasionally, and perhaps not unfrequently, cross, 

 this is not true of fishes so very distantly related as the Perch and the Gudgeon. 



The spawning season is in April ; Mr. Couch says that the roe, which is shed in large 

 quantity, is deposited in deep water on sandy ground. ]\Ir. Cholmondeley Pennell, on the 

 other hand, asserts that the ova are placed among the rushes and flags at the margin of the 

 water; with this statement also Yarrell agrees. I am not able to decide between authorities 

 in this case, and as April is now over, I must wait for another spawning season. 



The Ruffe is excellent food for the table, resembling that of the Perch, but of a shorter 

 texture; as Dame Juliana Berners says, "it is a right holsom fys.she." Its general small 

 size, however, prevents its being of much use in this respect ; it is better adapted for a bait 

 in Pike trolling. The spinous character of the dorsal fin of this fish does not in the slightest 

 degree interfere with its being a good bait ; the same is the case with the Perch ; and it is 

 quite untrue to assert that the Pike, dreading these dorsal spikes, will refuse to attack a 

 Perch. For myself I prefer a small Perch to any other bait for Pike; I find it quite as 

 attractive as Roach or Dace, and being of firmer flesh, it will last the longer on the spinning 

 tackle. 



The Ruffe (rough) derives its name from the character of the scales and the spinous 

 portion of the dorsal fin ; with this we may compare the Ruft" among birds from its frill-like 

 collar of rough feathers. The meaning of the word Pope as given to this fish is not at all 

 clear. From the expression of "Daddy Ruff," applied to it in Shropshire, one would naturally 

 infer that allusion in some way is made to the Pope, Papa, or Father of Rome. According 

 to Halliwell, Pope is sometimes a term of contempt. "What a Pope of a thing" is Dorset 

 dialect. May the reference be to the small size of the fish when compared with the Perch, 

 "the genus minus," indeed, of old Gesner? I know not. The scientific generic name of 

 acerina must come from the Latin accr, in allusion to the "sharp" portion of the dorsal fin. 

 The specific name ccniua, "with head downwards," requires explanation. 



The general colour of the Ruffe is greenish olive, spotted with brown ; belly white ; dorsal 

 fin continuous, not distinct as in the Perch ; first part spinous, the others flexible, spotted with 



