THE YELLOJV PERCH 



ONE of the most beautiful of fishes, dis- 

 tinguished by peculiar and dainty 

 coloring, is the yellow perch. His 

 armor of scales is of a bronze tint, 

 marked by transverse bars of a darker shade, while 

 the whole body gives forth an iridescence of equal 

 splendor to that of the peacock. The fins are 

 tinged with red suggestive of the glories contained 

 in old cathedral windows. 



In his first dorsal fin, he has a weapon by which 

 he can defend himself and also give offence. 

 When angry, all his spines become erect and 

 bristling, and when taken he can inflict painful, 

 and even dangerous lacerations, if he is not most 

 carefully handled. 



Perch prefer to live in lakes and ponds and 

 pools. They apparently shun fast-running waters. 

 For food, they prefer worms, grubs and other in- 

 sects, and small fishes, even at times devouring their 

 own kind. They are not especially rapid in move- 

 ment, but will dart among a school of minnows 

 with distended mouths, intent upon capture. 

 The flesh of the yellow perch is delicious and 

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