White Perch 



White Perch 



Moroiie americana (Gmelin) 



" Nor let the Muse, in her award of fame, 



Illustrious Perch, unnoticed pass thy claim. 



Prince of the prickly cohort, bred in lakes. 



To feast our boards, what sapid boneless flakes 



Thy solid flesh supplies! though overfed, 



No daintier fish in ocean's pastures bred 



Swims thy compeer." 



— Ausoniits. 



This well-known fish is common on the Atlantic coast of America 

 from the Carolinas to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It thrives in fresh, 

 brackish, and salt water, but is somewhat anadromous, ascending 

 freshwater streams. It is frequently landlocked in coastal ponds, 

 where it becomes purely a freshwater fish. It is found in the lower 

 portions of nearly all the streams from Maine to the Carolinas, and is 

 one of the most popular of game-fishes. It takes the fly readily, 

 though it will not leave the water to do so, and angleworms, grass- 

 hopp'ers, and small minnows are irresistible. As a game-fish it should 

 hold, as it does in some places, a very high rank. It bites vigorously, 

 and as a mad rusher, it is not surpassed. And as a pan-fish many re- 

 gard it as the best among all our fishes. The only exception we feel 

 disposed to make is the yellow perch. 



Colour, olivaceous, varying to dark green ; sides silvery or oliva- 

 ceous, usually with faint paler longitudinal streaks. 



GENUS STEREOLEPIS AY RES 



The Jewfishes 



This genus, characterized by the short, soft dorsal, the absence of 

 spiny ridges on the head, and the continuous but deeply notched 

 dorsal fin, contains one American species, the California jewfish or 

 black sea-bass, 



Stereolepis gigas 



This huge fish is found on the coast of southern California and 

 north to the Farallones. It is most abundant about Santa Catalina, 



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