The Perch Family 171 



hundred or more not being an uncommon catch 

 in a single day, as I am credibly informed. As 

 the water above the forks of the Missouri River 

 is too cold for the perch, and the water of the 

 lake too warm for trout or grayling, there seems 

 to be no probability of any harm resulting from 

 the introduction of the yellow-perch, though it 

 was not a wise thing to do. About the only fish 

 in that portion of the Missouri, before the perch 

 were planted just above the Great Falls, were 

 ling, suckers, and catfish. 



In the many small lakes near Oconomowoc, 

 Wisconsin, the yellow-perch thrives well. It is 

 caught in the summer by men, women, and chil- 

 dren with almost any kind of bait, and often with 

 the rudest tackle. To the summer visitors it is 

 a source of perennial delight, and an unfailing 

 means of enjoyment to the juvenile anglers. In 

 my day, Genesee Lake, a few miles from Ocono- 

 mowoc, contained some of the largest perch of all 

 the numerous lakes and lakelets. In this lake 

 only the small-mouth bass and yellow-perch were 

 found, no large-mouth bass or pike, and the bass 

 and perch were of about the same size — two 

 pounds. This uniformity of weight did not 

 obtain in any of the other lakes. A basket of 



