128 ACANTHOPTERYGII. PERCH FAMILY. 



England, Wales, and Ireland, and is common in 

 the lowlands of Scotland. Mr. Selby states, " That 

 it is a rare fish in the north of England, and still 

 rarer in the northern parts of Scotland, being met 

 with only sparingly in the lochs north of the Forth, 

 and, in several instances, when found in these loca- 

 lities, its introduction can be traced to no remote 

 period : in all the almost countless waters," he adds, 

 " of the northern counties, it is wanting." Mr. Col- 

 quhoun, as we understand him (p. 121), has caught 

 Perch of three pounds weight in Loch Awe, in Ar- 

 gyllshire; and, from what Dr. Parnell states, we 

 conclude it is common in Loch Lomond. Mr. Low 

 does not include it among the fishes of Orkney and 

 Shetland ; but Nilsson enumerates it as a Scandi- 

 navian one. 



As an article of food, the Perch was highly prized 

 by the ancients ; and though now far from being so 

 popular in this respect, yet it is esteemed wholesome 

 and excellent food when in season. The flesh is 

 white, firm, and well flavoured ; it is in bad con- 

 dition in April, May, and June. 



Gen. II. Labrax. (Sp. 2.) L. Lupus. The 

 Basse, or Sea-Perch. — Having already described 

 this fish and its congeners in our First Volume, 

 our present notice may be short. It was well 

 known and highly esteemed by the ancients as 

 an article of food; and, being a bold fish, and 

 active in its habits, it thus obtained its name of 

 Lwpus^ or Wolf: in Scotland, it is sometimes de- 

 signated the Gape-mouth., and, on the Kentish 



