THE YELLOW PERCH. 



The Saxons, it is said, represented one of their gods standing with 

 naked feet on the back of a Perch, as an emblem of constancy in trial and 

 patience in adversity, ^^'ith his bristling array of thorny fin-spines, the 

 Perch is a fair type of sturdy indei)endence, a Diogenes of the brooks and 

 ponds, well described by Drayton in his " Poylyolbion :" 



" The Perch with prickling fins against the Pike prepar'd 

 As nature had thereon bestow'd this stronger guard 

 His daintiness to keep." 



The angler cannot be too careful in unhooking these spike-armed heroes, 

 for the armature of the fins inflicts wounds painful and difficult to heal. 



They feed on worms, grubs, insects and even small fishes of their own 

 species and are voracious in the extreme. "In feeding," writes Dr. 

 Abbott, "Yellow Perch chase small minnows instead of waiting for a 

 single fish to come near enough to seize by a single dart upon it, as the 

 Pike does. They are not rapid in their movements, but seem to dart 

 with open mouth at several minnows, as though trusting to catch some 

 one of the number they pursue." 



They are pirates, as voracious in proportion to their size as the Black 

 Bass and the Pike. 



The claims of this fish to popular favor have been strangely overlooked 

 in America, owing perhaps to the fact that anglers, like other men, have 

 their specialties, and that most of our writers upon this subject have had 

 hobbies other than that of Perch fishing. Surely no inhabitant of our 

 brooks and ponds has higher claims on the score of beauty than — 

 "The Perch with fins of Tyrian dj'e." 



Its graceful movements and beautiful colors, its hardiness and intelli- 

 gence makes it particularly desirable for aquarium culture. In the 

 sunlight the scales reflect delicate hues and golden glints which are 

 deliciously tempered by the dusky bands upon the sides and the ruddy 

 tones of the quivering fins, which have been well compared to the reds 

 sometimes to be seen in the glass of very old church windows. 



Its rank as a game fish is thus estimated by J. P. Wheeldon, angling 

 editor of BelP s Life: "A gloriously handsome fish, the Perch, when in 

 condition affords excellent sport, and is a deserved favorite with each and 

 every fisherman, be he young or old." It is mentioned as a fa\orite in 

 the first of all treatises on angling — that printed in Antwerp in 1492, — and 

 is eulogizedby scores of later European authorities, as well as in the " Com- 

 olete Angler:" 



